Chennai, May 25 (IANS) Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) President and former Union Minister, Anbumani Ramadoss, has opposed the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to open new sand quarries across the state.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Ramadoss urged the DMK-led state government to immediately abandon the proposal and warned that PMK would launch sustained protests if the existing quarries are not shut down.

He accused the state government of environmental negligence, alleging that hills in the southern districts and the Kongu region are being destroyed to extract minerals, which are then smuggled to Kerala.

Simultaneously, he claimed, illegal river sand mining continues unchecked throughout the state.

“The PMK’s position is clear and unwavering — all sand quarries in Tamil Nadu must be closed. The government should either import sand from abroad or promote the use of artificial sand for construction. But it cannot be allowed to turn Tamil Nadu into a desert by permitting indiscriminate sand mining,” Ramadoss asserted.

He also raised strong objections to the state government’s reported plans to open more than 20 new sand quarries in 13 districts.

Highlighting the environmental risks and alleged regulatory violations, he referred to the data presented in the Madras High Court by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which revealed widespread over-extraction in existing quarries.

“In 2023, the government officially permitted the opening of 25 sand quarries with an approved capacity of 7.51 lakh units. However, the ED’s submission before the High Court disclosed that a total of 27.70 lakh units of sand had actually been mined — nearly four times the sanctioned amount. This blatant violation exposes the scale of unchecked and illegal sand mining occurring under the state government oversight,” he said.

The PMK leader reiterated that if the state government proceeds with its expansion plans, it would face large-scale public opposition.

He emphasised the need to safeguard Tamil Nadu’s ecological balance and urged the state government to seek sustainable alternatives to meet the state’s construction needs without causing irreversible environmental damage.

He concluded his statement by warning that PMK will intensify its protest if the state government fails to act responsibly and protect the state’s natural resources.

–IANS

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