Mining baron used jobs to earn local support

Residents form the two villagers who spoke to DTNext said “He pays us well and on time. We have no complaints against him.” These villagers had earlier objected to this contractor for causing a slow death to the river by indulging in round-the-clock mining operation which continues even now. A trader from Vellore said, “Sekhar Reddy’s climbed up the ladder through sheer calculation. He developed his contacts well. For instance, a chance meeting with a SRMU (Southern Railway Mazdoor Union) top boss helped him get even a train toilet cleaning related contract”. 

He had connections in AIADMK and DMK and flourished during both regimes, said the villagers.  “He knows to manoeuvre people to satisfy his needs,” said a former Kandaneri panchayat president who refused to be named. In fact, at one stage, even the then PWD minister was unable to take him on, because of the support he had from the top politicians in the state. 

Former Kazhanipakkam panchayat president Ramesh said, “His modus operandi was simple. He paid Rs.5000 to each ration card holder in the village and at Kandaneri irrespective of the political affiliation of the person. Those who raised their voice and objected vociferously were given twice the above amount. R. Subramani of Kandaneri said in no time, objections to his mining sand from the Palar river came down and people became very friendly with Sekhar Reddy.”  

It may be recalled that the Cauvery sand mafia at Karur at the start of this century suppressed public oppression by first building a temple to the local deity in the village and then paying higher wages than that offered for farm labour in this predominantly agrarian area. “When agricultural labour wages were Rs 100 for men and Rs 60 for women, the mafia offered men Rs 150 and women Rs 100. Needless to say, any remaining objection vanished immediately” says a retired government officer settled now at Karur.