TIRUCHY: Members of the Tamil Nadu sand lorry owners’ association on Friday staged a hunger strike in demand of reopening the sand quarries that were closed for the past nine months, in Tiruchy. According to the members, the sand quarries across the State were closed after the ED raised several queries citing irregularities.

“Despite our repeated appeals, no step has been initiated to open the quarries even after nine months and we have lost our livelihood”, said Chella Rajamani, the president of the association. He said that not just around 55,000 sand lorry owners across the State but several lakhs of workers including lorry drivers, bullock cart owners and workers are affected.

“We appeal to the state government to initiate steps to reopen the closed sand quarries for the welfare of the people depending on the quarries”, he said. He also said that the association would organise a series of protests if the government fails to initiate steps to reopen the quarries.