HC orders CBI probe into river sand mining, sale in TN

Madras High Court today ordered a CBI probe into alleged illegal mining and sale of river sand in neighbouring Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts.
Taking a serious view of the issue raised in a petition, Justice S Manikumar said offences against the mining laws were against the state.
He directed the CBI to nominate an officer in the rank of an Inspector General of Police to conduct a fair investigation into complaints of illegalities in mining and sale of sand.
The Judge slammed the Kancheepuram District Collector for feigning ignorance in his affidavit about the 'illegal stockyards' existence in the district.

He directed CBI to inquire all departments and officials connected with sand mining including the collectors and initiate prosecution if cognisable offence was made out against them.
The petitioner, Poonamallee Circle River and Lorry owners Association, had submitted that while the state Public Works Department was alone authorised to quarry sand in river beds, one M Palanisamy of Coimbatore, along with many others set up stock yards without licence, purchased sand from state public works department and was selling the same at higher rates to the members of their association.

The petitioner sought a direction to the district authorities of Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur and the secretaries of Industries and Public Works Department to take action against them.

When the court sought for certain details from the two district collectors regarding licences issued to the stockyards, Kancheepuram collector filed a report saying that no such licences were granted to Palanisamy.
The judge took note of the details submitted by other departments and the photographs submitted by the petitioners confirming the storage of big heap of sand lying in different places which came to near about 14,000 lorry loads and pulled up the Kancheepuram Collector.