Anbumani flays DMK for 'looting' TN's mineral wealth, demands CBI probe into sand quarry expansion

Chennai, Oct 28 (IANS) Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) president Anbumani Ramadoss has strongly condemned the Tamil Nadu government's reported decision to open 30 new sand quarries across the state, terming it a "shocking attempt to sell off the state's natural resources for private gain".

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Anbumani cited media reports stating that in the first phase, eight new sand quarries would begin operations from November 1 - three in Pudukkottai district, two in Cuddalore, and one each in Thanjavur, Namakkal, and Ranipet.

"Despite repeated exposure of large-scale irregularities, the DMK government continues its plunder of Tamil Nadu's mineral wealth. This is highly condemnable," he said.

The PMK leader recalled that since coming to power in 2021, the DMK government had already opened 25 sand quarries across nine rivers, including the Cauvery, Kollidam, Vaippar, and Vellar in May 2023.

Permission had been granted to extract 7.51 lakh units of sand from these sites. However, he alleged that a subsequent survey conducted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in September 2023 revealed that 27.7 lakh units of sand had actually been mined - nearly four times the permitted quantity.

"This proves that the sand extracted in a few months equals what should have been mined over ten years. There are credible allegations that the illegal revenue generated from this sand mining has been funnelled into illicit financial transactions," Anbumani said.

He added that despite such findings, the DMK government had been persistently trying to reopen or expand sand quarries. The recent environmental clearance obtained for new mining operations, he said, was "nothing but a cover-up for organised plunder".

Warning that overexploitation of riverbeds has already caused severe depletion of groundwater and intrusion of seawater in coastal areas, he said the PMK had long demanded the construction of check dams to replenish aquifers.

"Instead of protecting nature, the DMK government is destroying it for greed," he alleged.

Calling for a CBI probe into what he described as "the largest mineral scam in Tamil Nadu's history", Anbumani asserted that people would soon deliver a fitting verdict in the upcoming Assembly election.

"The so-called Dravidian Model has turned into a Looting Model. The DMK will be held accountable," he said.

--IANS

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