Students protest crusher unit by climbing hillock in Tiruchy

TIRUCHY: Opposing the proposed crushing unit in Tiruchy's Manapparai, four school students marched to the top of a hillock in the locality on Saturday (September 5), urging the State government to withdraw the move.

The Mines department has permitted a crusher unit at Rettamalai near A-Thoppupatti in Manapparai, and the works for the proposed crusher unit is under way.

Sources said the crusher unit is sanctioned against the norms as there are houses and religious places within the 500-metre radius of the site.

The villagers have protested the proposal as it would harm agricultural activities in the area and even met Minister for Mines TK Prabhu and Manapparai MLA R Kathiravan, but to no avail.

They also tried to meet Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Thursday (September 3) but were stopped by the officials.

On Saturday, four school students - Suba (14), Jeeva (13), Vettrivel (10) and Karuppasamy (14) from Rettamalai climbed atop the Rettamalai hillock around 7 am and staged a protest and threatened to end their lives if the crusher unit work continues.

Their parents rushed and urged the children to climb down, followed by the revenue officials and Vaiyyampatti police. But the students continued to stay put and demanded officials' response.

Two parents - Sathya and Nithya - fainted due to dehydration and were rushed to the Manapparai GH.

The revenue officials and the police assured the protesting students that they would stop the ongoing work for the crusher until the court gives a verdict.

Subsequently, the protesting students climbed down.