Vijaya Baskar’s quarry raided again

Vijaya Baskar’s family members have been running various business establishments in the name of Rasi, an acronym of Ra Sinna Thambi (read as R Chinna Thambi), the minister’s father who is also a PWD and highways contractor. 

The family has been running a stone quarry which houses a blue metals company, construction material mixing unit and other construction allied units in an area of around 1,200 acre. Interestingly, the stone quarry has been leased under the name of one SA Subbiah of Karadikudikadu in Illuppur. 

Inquiries revealed that Subbiah was once a helper in the house of Vijaya Baskar. He is still doing odd jobs for the family and getting paid a few thousands of rupees as salary. 

The I-T sleuths, who earlier raided the quarry on April 7 as part of the state-wide operations on the establishments of the health minister, reportedly told the workers in the quarry that they would inspect the facility once again as they were not satisfied with the answers provided by the quarry administrators. 

The quarry, at present holds a licence valid from October 4, 2013 to October 3, 2018 from the mines department and Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board. It was permitted to mine an area of 200 sq ft. 

However, the I-T personnel during the raids raised doubts that the owners had dredged beyond the permitted levels. So, on Tuesday, the officials from the Central Mines and Mineral Department were called in to confirm their doubts. The officials arrived at the quarry around 7 30 am and started measuring the quarry in its entirety.

It was confirmed that they inspected all the places in the quarry and the measuring works were on till the news came last. However, the officials, who entered the premises with CRPF personnel, were tight lipped about the ongoing operations at Pudukottai.