A farmer, Senthilkumar, has been on an indefinite fast for the 10th day in his own land, alleging illegal encroachment of the stream and environmental damage to the entire area due to stone quarry.
Tirupur: The Tirupur police have arrested more than 30 people, including women and farmers for staging a hunger strike in front of the Tirupur District Collectorate demanding cancellation of the illegal licence of a stone quarry operating in Kodangipalayam area near Palladam.
The quarry has been functioning in Kodangipalayam village in Palladam Taluk of Tirupur District. S G Blue Metals, a company operating in Kodangipalayam village in Palladam Circle in Tirupur district has created fake documents by hiding the presence of houses and factories at 150 meters distance and Government apartment blocks at 250 meters in approved plots adjacent to the quarry.
A farmer, Senthilkumar, has been on an indefinite fast for the 10th day in his own land, alleging illegal encroachment of the stream. Since the illegal quarrying is causing environmental damage to the entire area, Senthil Kumar has sought cancellation of the permission granted in contravention of the law.
On Thursday, 10 women including his wife Kalaiselvi and his relatives sat in front of the Tirupur District Collector's office in an indefinite hunger strike. They also raised slogans demanding cancellation of the license of the stone quarries operating without permission in Kodangipalayam and immediate closure of all such quarries.
Over 30 people who were on hunger strike were arrested by the police who were on duty at the Tirupur Collectorate for staging a protest without permission.
In the recent past, farmers and social activists have been complaining about unauthorised stone quarries operating in Tirupur district. In response, stone quarry owners and labourers have been filing false complaints and petitioning the Collector alleging that some people were trying to spoil the livelihood of thousands of people.