Madurai, March 15: The Tamil Nadu Department of Geology and Mining has received drone survey reports for 11 stone quarries in Madurai district and is preparing to conduct detailed ground inspections to determine whether quarry operators have violated mining regulations.
The quarries surveyed include seven located in Kallanai village in Kallikudi taluk and four in Ponnamangalam village in Thirumangalam taluk. The inspections are part of the third phase of a large-scale drone-based assessment of quarrying activities across the district.
In total, 47 out of the 58 quarries in Madurai district have been covered under the drone survey exercise so far.
Following the receipt of the aerial survey data, officials from the geology and mining department will carry out ground surveys to verify the findings. The process will involve mapping geological formations, identifying mineral deposits and comparing field observations with the drone-generated data.
After completing the verification process, the department will prepare a detailed report and submit it to the revenue department for further action. If the ground inspection confirms violations such as illegal extraction, encroachment, or exceeding permitted mining limits, the revenue department will issue notices to the quarry operators concerned.
Penalties may also be imposed in accordance with mining and environmental regulations. The drone survey initiative was launched after sustained protests by farmers and residents in the district, particularly in Kallanai village.
Villagers and security personnel stationed in the area had alleged large-scale illegal quarrying operations that were causing environmental damage. Residents claimed that quarry operators were violating mining rules, destroying natural pathways connected to the Kundaru river system, and encroaching on panjami land meant for historically marginalised communities.
Local residents staged protests inside the village for more than 100 days and later demonstrated outside the district collectorate, demanding action against illegal quarrying activities. Petitions highlighting these concerns were also submitted to District Collector K.J. Praveen Kumar.
Earlier phases of the drone survey had already uncovered multiple violations. In the first phase, six stone quarries in Thirumangalam taluk were examined, and five were found to have breached mining norms.
Penalties were imposed on the operators, though one quarry owner challenged the action in court, while others paid the fines.
In the second phase, drone surveys covered five additional quarries in Katchaikatti village in Vadipatti taluk and the Kondayampatti area, where an animal overpass project is being built by the National Highways Authority of India.
All five quarries were found to have violated regulations, resulting in a combined penalty of Rs 15 crore. Legal challenges and appeals related to those penalties are currently under consideration.
–IANS