Residents seek permanent closure of illegal quarry in Melur
Residents of Melur taluk have petitioned the District Collector to permanently close an illegal stone quarry, citing environmental damage and safety risks. They allege that the quarry continues to operate despite a temporary shutdown order and that protesters have faced intimidation.
Why it matters
This highlights the ongoing conflict between industrial resource extraction and the protection of local ecosystems and community safety.
Residents of several villages in Melur taluk submitted a petition to the Madurai District Collector on Monday demanding an official probe into regulatory violations and the permanent closure of a private stone quarry operating at K. Pudur in Kachirayanpatti panchayat.
According to the petitioners from the villages of K. Pudur, Kalapparai, Paalkudi, and Muthukaruppanpatti, the quarry has been functioning in violation of minor mineral concession rules by allegedly concealing official documentation.
They highlighted that the quarrying operations posed a grave threat to local water sources, including the Karuppayurani and Aruvi tanks and the Velluthu spring, adversely affecting drinking water supply and rural livelihoods.
Further, the site operates in close proximity to residential homes, public roads, ancient Jain beds, historical stone inscriptions, and habitats supporting the endangered slender loris and local biodiversity.
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