PERAMBLAUR: Residents of Therani village in Perambalur district are worried over the freshly auctioned 31 stone quarries in the district. They said that sound pollution, damage to houses from mining activities and deaths by accident have made them suffer enough and they did not want any more quarries.
More than 500 families live in Therani village in Alathur taluk. It was also the site of a private stone quarry. Residents complained that the explosions in the quarry caused cracks and tremors in their houses. They also said quarries deplete groundwater levels in their village. The quarry was not properly maintained and closed after it was condemned. With rainwater stagnating in the pit, villagers said some people decided to swim and drowned. In the past six months, three people have drowned in the quarry, including a 11-year-old N Balaji. The people have filed petitions against poor maintenance and rock breaking with the District Collector’s office and Minerals department, but no action has been taken so far.
Last Thursday ,31 stone quarries in various villages. including Vengalam, Elambalar and Therani in Perambalur district were auctioned off by the district administration. Given the history the village has with quarries, the residents feel they would be better off without them. They said these quarries may also not follow regulations, work out of schedule disturbing their daily lives, create cracks in their houses and also be not closed off properly after they are depleted.
On Thursday, villagers staged a road roko condemning the auctioning of quarries. On Monday, the villagers filed a petition with the District Collector.
Therani resident A Vikram Dharma told TNIE, “We only rely on agriculture for our livelihoods. Quarries deplete groundwater levels. We have had enough of the quarries and do not want any more. The explosions frighten people, especially children. Houses develop cracks.”
Another resident, T Selvam, said, “There is a government high school and two overhead water tanks near the quarry. Operating the quarry would bring down the structures. My house is extensively cracked. I am plastering it once a month now.”
When contacted, Minerals department officials said, “We received petitions and will check the impact and then see what action can be taken.”