TN to come out with sand-mining policy

The Tamil Nadu government will soon come out with a policy decision on beach and sand mineral mining after going through the report of the survey which was undertaken by a special committee in Tirunelveli, Madurai, Kanyakumari and Tiruchirapalli districts.

The state government's decision on Tuesday came against the backdrop of alleged illicit mining of beach minerals in several lease areas located in various districts.

Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said in a statement that a special team will survey 71 mines in these districts to see whether the leasers have committed any irregularities there.

She said that the special team headed by Gagandeep Singh Bedi, secretary of Department of Revenue, formed to survey the beach sand mineral mines in Tuticorin district has submitted its report to her on Tuesday.

"The mining has been banned in these places as well,” Jayalalithaa said, adding that on getting the report, the government would take a policy decision on mines of these minerals.

The issue of alleged irregularities in mines of beach minerals came to the fore after former Tuticorin Collector Ashish Kumar conducted inspections at a private sand quarry recently.
The team, comprising of officials of Revenue, Environment and Forests, and Geology and Mines departments, carried out inspections in three phases.