Madras HC bars quarrying, mining in Sivagalai archaeological site
MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed Thoothukudi district authorities to ensure that no mining or quarrying activities are carried out on land situated within the Sivagalai archaeological site until a final decision is made by the authority.
A division bench of Justices S M Subramaniam and A D Maria Clete issued the order while disposing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition filed by D Muthuramalingam, challenging the permission granted to a private individual to quarry on the land. The permission was originally issued by the Assistant Director of Geology and Mining on November 22, 2024.
During the hearing, the government counsel informed the court that the area had since been notified as an archaeological site and the quarry licence was suspended in December 2024. Taking this into account, the court instructed the petitioner to approach the appellate authority if he wished to further challenge the assistant director's decision.
The judges emphasised that, until a final order is passed by the authorities, the land must be protected from any form of mining activity.
However, they declined the petitioner's request to set a deadline for the district collector (appellate authority) to make a decision, citing the official's workload.
In his petition, Muthuramalingam contended that the three-hectare land granted for quarrying lies close to the Sivagalai archaeological site and is rich in historical remains. He also noted that the proposed quarry site is surrounded by agricultural fields, three irrigation ponds, and a wildlife conservation area. He warned that quarry explosions could not only damage valuable archaeological artifacts but also pose serious risks to the local community and wildlife.
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