Details of rock taken from Tiruvannamalai sought

A division bench comprising Justice M Sathyanarayanan and Justice P Rajamanickam, before whom the plea came up seeking to stall its transportation on Friday, directed the Chief Secretary and Home Secretary to file a report by February 14 about the subsequent developments. An order was placed by the first bench led by Chief Justice Indira Banerjee on March 9, 2018 directing the then district collector to take a decision on the application of the petitioner for transport permit.

The bench then directed the Secretary and joint Director of Mines and Minerals Department to file a status report on the permission accorded to Kothandaramasamy charitable trust to transport the quarried rock to Bangalore.

P Rathinam an advocate practicing at the Madras High Court moved a PIL regards the alleged unlawful activities of the trust, which got permission to cut the rock from a hill in Cherikulam, Vandavasi taluk, Tiruvannamalai district.

He said the trust is defrauding the owners of the buildings which were demolished by the agents during transit of the rock even without paying the agreed amount.

Also, the plea claimed that it appears that the district administration has been replaced by the agents of the trust. The plea while seeking for a direction tothe authorities to stall the movement of heavy vehicle carrying the single rock sought to utilise the same to prepare the statue of Buddha for installation within Tiruvannamalai district.