‘Close four stone quarries smothering Panaiyankurichi village’
Residents of Panaiyankurichi village have petitioned the District Collector to close four stone quarries, citing environmental damage, groundwater depletion, and health issues. Farmers also protested at the same meeting, demanding overdue payments for paddy sold to the NCCF.
Why it matters
This reflects the growing conflict between industrial development and the survival of rural agricultural communities in India.
Seeking cancellation of licence given for stone quarrying near their village, a group of residents from Panaiyankurichi near Idaikal in Ambasamudram taluk submitted a petition to Collector Anand Mohan during the weekly grievance redress meeting held here on Monday.
“Since uncontrolled blasting of rocks using high intensity explosives every day causes cracks in houses besides killing borewells, the quarries should be closed,” the villagers prayed.
The petitioners said their villagers primarily relying upon agricultural operations being carried out with rainwater and deep borewell water. After the district administration gave permission for four stone quarries around Panaiyankurichi, uncontrolled explosions had destroyed the aquifers and the hydrological cycle, depleting groundwater table beyond 600 feet.
The chemicals in the explosives had mixed with the borewell water making it poisonous, they said.
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