Coimbatore District Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati conducted a surprise inspection on September 22 in areas where illegal soil extraction and brick manufacturing were reported, following High Court directives.
Coimbatore: District Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati conducted a surprise inspection on Friday in several areas of Coimbatore where illegal soil extraction and brick manufacturing activities were reported. The inspection came in response to persistent complaints and a recent Madras High Court order directing immediate action against soil smugglers.
The areas under scrutiny included Alandurai, Kalimangalam, Devarayapuram, and Valkaradu in Perur Taluk, as well as Karadimadai in Madukkarai Taluk. These locations had been the subject of ongoing allegations regarding unauthorized soil extraction for brick production.
The issue gained prominence when a social activist filed a case in the Madras High Court. The judges, expressing concern that the Western Ghats might "disappear," ordered the Tamil Nadu government to immediately halt illegal sand mining, arrest those involved, and confiscate the machinery used.
During the surprise inspection, it was revealed that illegal soil extraction and brick manufacturing were indeed taking place in the mentioned areas. In response, Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati issued several directives to curb these unlawful activities.
The Collector ordered the Revenue Department and Police to immediately file First Information Reports (FIRs) against those involved in illegal soil smuggling. He also instructed the authorities to seize vehicles used for transporting the illegally extracted soil. Furthermore, he directed officials to seal brick kilns operating without proper permissions to prevent manual brick manufacturing without authorization.
These actions are part of the district administration's efforts to enforce the High Court's order and put an end to the illegal exploitation of natural resources in the region.
The areas under scrutiny included Alandurai, Kalimangalam, Devarayapuram, and Valkaradu in Perur Taluk, as well as Karadimadai in Madukkarai Taluk. These locations had been the subject of ongoing allegations regarding unauthorized soil extraction for brick production.
The issue gained prominence when a social activist filed a case in the Madras High Court. The judges, expressing concern that the Western Ghats might "disappear," ordered the Tamil Nadu government to immediately halt illegal sand mining, arrest those involved, and confiscate the machinery used.
During the surprise inspection, it was revealed that illegal soil extraction and brick manufacturing were indeed taking place in the mentioned areas. In response, Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati issued several directives to curb these unlawful activities.
The Collector ordered the Revenue Department and Police to immediately file First Information Reports (FIRs) against those involved in illegal soil smuggling. He also instructed the authorities to seize vehicles used for transporting the illegally extracted soil. Furthermore, he directed officials to seal brick kilns operating without proper permissions to prevent manual brick manufacturing without authorization.
These actions are part of the district administration's efforts to enforce the High Court's order and put an end to the illegal exploitation of natural resources in the region.