Confusion delays action on illegal sand miners

Acting on a tip off, Katpadi revenue officials, comprising the revenue inspector, six VAOs (Village Administrative Officers) and 10 villagers, who went to Tirumani on Wednesday, found more than 300 carts quarrying sand in the area. 

On interrogation, the cart men claimed to have official receipts of payments made for the quarrying sand. The suspicious officials checked the bills and found some of them having the same serial numbers. 

The officials immediately informed the PWD about the issues and were told that no such permission was given for quarrying sand in Tirumani. The PWD officials also informed the Katpadi tahsildar K Jayanthi that the only quarrying that was allowed was at Poigai Kothamangalam, where the process had ended on April 10. 

The revenue officials pulled in three people who had allegedly printed the bills for questioning. However, the officials were dumbfounded when they were told that they were doing this with the permission of the PWD. 

Further confusion occurred when mines department officials asserted that quarrying was allowed in P Kothamangalam till last Saturday, a statement that contradicted what the PWD officials had said. 

Vellore RDO being away on official work has led to the Katpadi tahsildar being unable to clear the confusion which has delayed police action against the counterfeit bill printers.