CHENNAI: Minister for Revenue and District Administration KA Sengottaiyan on Wednesday said the state government would examine reports concerning the disappearance of 18 hillocks across Tamil Nadu and initiate appropriate action.

Speaking to reporters in Coimbatore, Sengottaiyan referred to the statement made by Minister for Natural Resources TK Prabhu in the assembly regarding the issue. He said the government would also examine the taxes and other levies paid in connection with the extraction of minerals from the hillocks.

“Instead of exploiting our natural resources, Tamil Nadu could import construction materials from neighbouring states if necessary. Steps have already been taken to prevent the smuggling of mineral resources from Tamil Nadu to neighbouring states,” he said.

Sengottaiyan further said that the opposition parties may have remained silent when Prabhu presented evidence in the assembly on the disappearance of the hillocks, suggesting that some of the properties could have been held in benami names.

Asked about AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami’s remarks in the assembly alleging that MLAs were being bought over, Sengottaiyan said the present political situation had emerged following Palaniswami’s efforts to form a government in alliance with the DMK.

On portions of speeches that were removed from the assembly records but subsequently circulated on social media, Sengottaiyan said the Information and Publicity Department would take appropriate steps to address the issue and prevent such matters from creating unnecessary public attention.