Grinding stone producers protest to lift ban on mining in Uthukuli

The entire industry, involved in manufacture of various grinding stones for wet grinders, besides the traditional ‘aatukkal’ and ‘ammikkal’ has been crippled due to lack of stones following the ban. 

The Madras High Court has banned quarrying for blue metal and M-sand in Uthukuli following widespread violations. This has left at least 4,500 families from Govindampalayam, Nallakattipalayam, Pethampalayam, Velliampalayam, Morattupalayam, Thimmanaickenpalayam and Kavundampalayam without livelihood as their works were hit due to absence of suitable stones. They were into this traditional job for generations. 

“We do not cut rocks by blasting, but carve out stone by using drillers, which does not cause either pollution or any danger to people living nearby. Only the stones in Uthukuli are ideal for grinding purposes. Hence, the district administration should represent our issue to the state government to move the court in vacating the stay,” said S Vadivel, a grinding stone manufacturer from Morattupalayam village. 

Further, he claimed that the entire wet grinder industry in Coimbatore has been dependent on the grinding stones manufactured by people in villages in Uthukuli locality. More than 40,000 workers employed in the wet grinder industry in Coimbatore may lose livelihood, if the ban is not vacated.