‘Large-scale’ movement of mineral-laden lorries along Pollachi-Dindigul NH raises eyebrows
Environmental activists and local farmers are protesting the surge in mineral-laden lorries traveling along the Pollachi-Dindigul National Highway. They allege that illegal stone quarrying is damaging local agriculture and that authorities are failing to enforce regulations.
Why it matters
The issue highlights the tension between industrial resource extraction and the protection of agricultural livelihoods and environmental standards.
Environmental activists have raised concern over what they describe as “large-scale” movement of tipper lorries transporting rough stones to Kerala from Tiruppur and Coimbatore districts.
According to them, over 150 lorries transport the minerals every day to the neighbouring State. They have sought to know how the lorries have been able to move along the Pollachi-Dindigul National Highway without hassles.
As against the usual movement of 50 lorries every day, the number of the vehicles has gone up four-fold, R. Satish Kumar, State secretary for the Legal Awareness Wing of the Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Protection Association, said.
The “hasslefree” inter-State movement of the mineral-laden lorries warrants an explanation from Police and Revenue Departments, Mr. Satish Kumar said.
Officials do not even conduct checks to determine if the lorries are covered with tarpaulin, let alone checking the documents to curb excessive mining, he said.
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