NGT quashes plea to stop quarrying at Puduvayal lake

CHENNAI: The Southern Bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) recently quashed the petition that demanded the withdrawal of district Collector’s order in allowing sand quarrying at Puduvayal lake of Tiruvallur district in June 2020.

Applicant U Udayashankar moved the Tribunal to quash the order passed by the district Collector alleging that quarrying in savadu sand will cause adverse impact to Puduvayal lake. The applicant further stated that the lake is a source of water for several villages comprising nearly 2,500 families in the district.

The bench comprising Pushpa Sathyanarayanan and expert member Satyagopal Korlapati stated that K Gowrishankar of Perumalpattu village has obtained valid environmental clearance, which was renewed in August 2016. Subsequently, Gowrishankar has also obtained an order from the Collector for quarrying savudu sand.

Further, the bench noted that the order for quarrying was granted only as per the Tamil Nadu Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1959. Meanwhile, the order from Tiruvallur Collector specifically imposes a condition for the licensee that he can quarry savudu sand only upto 0.90 meters, which Gowrishankar is yet to commence quarry work, the bench noted quashing the petition.