Anbumani demands CBI probe into mining scam in south TN
He added that an official investigation led by the then Director of Geology and Mining, Nirmal Raj, found that 53 of 54 quarries in the district were operating in violation of regulations
PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss
CHENNAI: Alleging mineral theft worth over Rs 1,000 crore in the quarries of Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, and Kanniyakumari districts, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss demanded that the State government order a CBI investigation.
"The Western Ghats and the surrounding hill regions are being extensively exploited. While Kerala has imposed strict bans on river sand mining and hill excavation to protect its environment, minerals are being smuggled into Kerala from Tamil Nadu's southern districts," Anbumani said in a statement.
He claimed that an official investigation led by the then Director of Geology and Mining, Nirmal Raj, found that 53 of 54 quarries in these districts were operating in violation of regulations. In 24 of these quarries, over 5 million cubic meters of stone and 5,50,000 cubic meters of gravel were illegally extracted, he alleged.
"Following the probe, fines totalling Rs 262 crore were imposed in 2022. However, Nirmal Raj was abruptly transferred and replaced by IAS officer Jayakanthan, who reduced the penalties to just Rs 13.8 crore and reclassified them as "royalty," thereby legitimising the illegal extraction," he said.
He further alleged that while 24 quarries in Tirunelveli alone accounted for over Rs 600 crore in illegal mining. The total loss across Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, and Kanniyakumari districts is estimated to exceed Rs 1,000 crore, Anbumani said.
"All fingers point toward a powerful ruling party leader and his family. Despite being aware of the issue, Chief Minister MK Stalin has taken no action to stop it," he alleged.
In another statement, Anbumani said that Kerala is set to become the first state in India to eradicate extreme poverty, citing a comprehensive statewide survey.
Praising Kerala's model, Anbumani criticised the Tamil Nadu government for failing to conduct similar surveys or take meaningful steps to eradicate poverty.
