Coimbatore: Having sealed as many as 186 brick kilns on the eve of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections following the Madras High Court’s order, activists who petitioned and protested for long against these kilns allege that more than 23 brick kilns that function without licence are selling bricks that have been made already for a minimum price, at midnight.
Coimbatore: Having sealed as many as 186 brick kilns on the eve of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections following the Madras High Court’s order, activists who petitioned and protested for long against these kilns allege that more than 23 brick kilns that function without licence are selling bricks that have been made already for a minimum price, at midnight.
The Madras High Court had ordered immediate closure of all the brick kilns functioning across five panchayats Thadagam, Chinna Thadagam, Veerapandi, Nanjundapuram, Somayampalayam after reviewing the petition filed by T M S Rajendran. The petitioner informed the Court that brick kiln owners are illegally mining red sand by excavating an average of 120 feet in the area that comes under Hill Area Conservation Authority (HACA).
The High Court had first directed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and local authorities in Coimbatore on January 6 to close the kilns, but the direction was not followed through. However, issuing another order on February 10, the Court demanded a compliance report within six weeks, after which officials rushed to seal the brick kilns.
However, it is now reported that more than 23 brick kilns which have neither been served legal notice nor had their power supply cut, are selling the already-in-stock bricks for a minimum price to construction sites at midnight.
Ganesh, one of the activists in this region stated that the brick kilns are illegally selling bricks during midnight, even though officials have asked them not to. “We brought this issue to the cognisance of the District Collector last week and were assured that this matter shall be looked into,” said Ganesh.
With the closure of all the 186 brick kilns on the even of the Assembly elections in the district, migrant workers from the North Indian states had been sent home without providing proper subsidies according to an anonymous source. Earlier the bricks were sold in the market for Rs.7 each, with Rs. 3 required for the manufacturing process itself. Each lorry had the capacity to carry at least 3,000 bricks in it. As many as 625 lorries were being used for transporting the sands in Thadagam valley. Each day, these lorries made 14 trips, resulting in 8400 trips totally.
"Though the District Collector refused to permit brick kiln owners from selling stocked bricks, the illegal activity continues," alleges Velunaickar, State Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Farmers Association. “All departments are corrupt and to be more precise, the former AD of the Pollution Control Board, Ramesh was the main accused for all these illegal activities. None of the officials seem to follow the rules of the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The officials must visit the spots at midnight and take necessary steps, by filing cases and seizing vehicles immediately which are the only ways to stop the illegal activity," he added.
The evidence for the activity of sale of bricks during midnight has reportedly been sent to the Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu government, Revenue Department Principal Secretary, TANGEDCO Managing Director, TNPCB Principal Secretary and the Chief Secretary of the Geology and Mining Department.
The Madras High Court had ordered immediate closure of all the brick kilns functioning across five panchayats Thadagam, Chinna Thadagam, Veerapandi, Nanjundapuram, Somayampalayam after reviewing the petition filed by T M S Rajendran. The petitioner informed the Court that brick kiln owners are illegally mining red sand by excavating an average of 120 feet in the area that comes under Hill Area Conservation Authority (HACA).
The High Court had first directed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and local authorities in Coimbatore on January 6 to close the kilns, but the direction was not followed through. However, issuing another order on February 10, the Court demanded a compliance report within six weeks, after which officials rushed to seal the brick kilns.
However, it is now reported that more than 23 brick kilns which have neither been served legal notice nor had their power supply cut, are selling the already-in-stock bricks for a minimum price to construction sites at midnight.
Ganesh, one of the activists in this region stated that the brick kilns are illegally selling bricks during midnight, even though officials have asked them not to. “We brought this issue to the cognisance of the District Collector last week and were assured that this matter shall be looked into,” said Ganesh.
With the closure of all the 186 brick kilns on the even of the Assembly elections in the district, migrant workers from the North Indian states had been sent home without providing proper subsidies according to an anonymous source. Earlier the bricks were sold in the market for Rs.7 each, with Rs. 3 required for the manufacturing process itself. Each lorry had the capacity to carry at least 3,000 bricks in it. As many as 625 lorries were being used for transporting the sands in Thadagam valley. Each day, these lorries made 14 trips, resulting in 8400 trips totally.
"Though the District Collector refused to permit brick kiln owners from selling stocked bricks, the illegal activity continues," alleges Velunaickar, State Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Farmers Association. “All departments are corrupt and to be more precise, the former AD of the Pollution Control Board, Ramesh was the main accused for all these illegal activities. None of the officials seem to follow the rules of the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The officials must visit the spots at midnight and take necessary steps, by filing cases and seizing vehicles immediately which are the only ways to stop the illegal activity," he added.
The evidence for the activity of sale of bricks during midnight has reportedly been sent to the Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu government, Revenue Department Principal Secretary, TANGEDCO Managing Director, TNPCB Principal Secretary and the Chief Secretary of the Geology and Mining Department.