Aerial survey at 20 granite quarrying sites using UAV

MADURAI: As many as 20 granite quarrying sites belonging to P R Palanisamy (PRP Granites), Panneer Mohamed (Madura Granites) and Rajasekar (PR Granites) were subjected to aerial survey using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on Wednesday.
A two-member team consisting of Albert Fernando, personal secretary of the Madras high court-appointed advocate commissioner U Sagayam and Jaisingh Gnanadurai, joint director, agriculture, Madurai conducted the survey using UAV in the quarries that are situated in Keezhaiyur, Keezhavalavu, Thiruvadhavur and Mallapatti villages.
Interestingly, some people, who were involved in cutting granite stones Oovamalai in Thiruvadhavur village and trying to take the same illegally fled from there when the team was entering the site. Later, the team confiscated the tools being used for cutting the stones.
“When we entered Oovamalai, we saw tyre marks. When we proceeded further towards the site, the group ran leaving the tools behind,” said Jaisingh.
Commenting on the incident, activists criticised the government for its lethargic attitude in protecting granite stones, which are the state’s wealth. “Such things are happening in almost all quarries, which the authorities does not care,” said P Somasundaram of Sagayam Probe Movement, an organization formed to support the officer’s probe.
Big granite blocks that were kept in quarrying sites are broken into two parts by engaging workers and are allowed to be transported using duplicate permits and those given in other districts for the purpose of business in the concerned districts. The same has been communicated to the authorities many times, but no action was taken on it, he said.
As far as Madurai is concerned, there are 175 granite quarries, of which 95 are said to have committed illegal granite quarrying operations to the tune of several cores of rupees.
To probe the scam, the high court appointed Sagayam as advocate commission in September last year. He was however able to commence probe only in December. On January 12, he had attempted to conduct an aerial survey using UAV. But, he failed to achieve the purpose as the UAV fell into water after it hit a rock. Following it, the aerial survey commenced on Wednesday.