Environmentalists oppose move to establish two stone quarries at Sittanavasal

A move to establish two stone quarries at Sittanavasal in the district was opposed by environmentalists at a public hearing on Thursday. The hearings were organised ahead of the issue of environmental clearance for the proposed quarries.

Separate hearings were organised for the two stone quarries by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), Pudukottai, in which its District Environmental Engineer and revenue officials participated. A section of villagers took part in both public hearings conducted at nearby Annavasal village.

R.S. Muhilan, coordinator of the Tamil Nadu Environment Protection Movement who took part in the meetings, urged the authorities not to grant permission to establish the quarries on various grounds. He said the two quarries which were adjoining each other would eventually cause damage to the prevailing local environment affecting the villagers in the vicinity.

Further, the two quarries were located close to the famous Sittanavasal Jain heritage site with cave paintings. Any move to open the quarries would affect the heritage site, he said. 

The quarries had waterbodies within and very close to their vicinity. The tanks were the water source for several acres of farmlands sustaining the livelihood of a large number of people.

The opening of the stone quarries would affect the waterbodies in the longer run, threatening the very livelihood of the villagers. Further, the lorries carrying the boulders would damage the village roads in the area causing huge hardship to the locals, he said.

A TNPCB official said the views of the participants at the meeting were recorded and would be sent to the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority, the official added.