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Sunday, 22 March 2015

Woman Dies at illegal Sand Mine

VELLORE:Evidence that the sand-mafias are hand-in-glove with corrupt officials at the highest levels and continue to not only brazenly exploit unauthorised areas of the Palar Riverbed but also do so in complete disregard to the safety and welfare of the workers they employ for their illegal mining activities came to light with the death of a 35 year-old woman worker and two others sustaining injuries in a “non-permitted” quarry site.

According to guidelines laid down by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), no quarry activities should be carried out beyond permitted sites and not to mine sand on government holidays. Both these guidelines were flagrantly violated.

“The accident happened on Saturday, which is a government holiday. Besides Gudimallur (where the sand-mining is taking place and where the accident occurred) is about half a kilometre from the approved quarrying site - survey number 835 (P) of Vannivedu village in Upper Palar Basin in Walajapet Taluk,” member of Palar Pathukappu Kuzhlu, Rathinam told Express.

“The sand contractors are indiscriminately mining sand from the riverbed in non-permitted mining sites. Illegal sand-mining is being done beyond Vannivedu with higher officials being hand-in-glove with sand contractors,” said a Revenue Department official in Ranipet on condition of anonymity.

PWD department officials are failing to check these illegal activities.

The Palar Pathukappu Kuzhlu Committee filed a complaint with the Walajapet Police Station demanding action against the Executive Engineer of Water Resource Organisation (Upper Palar Basin), P Anbarasu, Assistant Executive Engineer, Ganeshan and Loading Lifting Contractor, Karuppaiah for violating government rules. “We filed the complaint on Saturday. But till now, the police have not even entered it into the CSR after the complaint. They are trying to manipulate the evidence to protect the sand contractors and corrupt officials,” said Rathinam.

Despite the accident occurring in the Palar Riverbed in Gudimallur, Walajapet Police, by manipulating facts, have filed a case stating that the accident occurred in a sand-yard. Senior officials in the Revenue and Police departments are protecting the sand contractors, said sources in the district administration. Investigation Officer of the case and Sub-Inspector of Walajapet Station J A Dominic told Express that the accident occurred at about 10.10 am on Saturday when K Sivakami of Vadamanpakkam Colony in Tiruvannamalai and several others were engaged working in the sand-yard in Gudimallur. While Sivakami was buried alive when the sand caved in, two others — Prakasam(38) and Ayyppan — sustained injuries.

Collector R Nanthagopal, along with PWD officials and the RDO of Ranipet, M Priyadharshini, had inspected the Vannivedu government quarry on Friday. “We told the Collector that the sand contractors are illegally mining sand beyond the permitted site. But he failed to pay heed to our complaints,” said Rathinam.

Collector R Nanthagopal responding to Saturday’s accident, initially said the accident happened in the PWD yard. However, after verifying the facts, he corrected his version and confirmed that the accident occurred in Gudimallur where a group of people are indulging in illegal sand mining. “I have asked the RDO of Ranipet (M Priyadharshini) to conduct an inquiry of the incident,” said the Collector.

Sand Mafia Buys Out Villagers on Protest With Rs 30L

VELLORE: Sand mafia in and around Thottalam and Chinna Thottalam panchayats in the district have unleashed their muscle and money power to silence villagers after they opposed government officials from opening sand quarries on the Palar riverbed. Fearing for their safety, many active participants in the two-month-old protests against sand quarries have turned into mute spectators.

Some villagers have even given up their protests against the mafia, who are allegedly backed by political bigwigs, for a few thousands of rupees. “We are helpless against the money, muscle and political power of those involved in sand mining,” said a villager, who was forced to accept Rs 10,000 from contractors from Namakkal, Erode and other districts.

The villagers claimed that sand smugglers were camping in and around Madhanur with goons. “They manipulated our own villagers against us in a bid to plunder the Palar riverbed,” said Kumaran of Thottalam.

The sand smugglers have been giving anything between Rs 5,000 to 25,000 to each family in Devigapuram, Athorampatti, Thottalam, Chinna Thottalam and Pon Nagar and neighbouring villages. “They started distributing the money two months ago. Initially, they discreetly distributed the cash. Now, they are openly asking the villagers to collect around Rs 15,000 by showing their ration card with the condition that they would owe their allegiance to them,” said lawyer V Balu.

“Sand mining contractors distributed Rs 30 lakh as bribe to residents of five villages in the last week,” he said and added that he plans to file a writ petition in the Madras High Court.

Fearing Crackdown, Sand Mafia Does Vanishing Act

VELLORE: Fearing a crackdown by the police, rattled Sande smugglers in and around Thakkolam have done a vanishing act. A day after a head constable was fatally mowed down by the mafia, smugglers have taken to their heels leaving the riverbed at many places deserted.

The policeman was killed while attempting to thwart smuggling of sand from Kosasthalaiyar River near Purusai village on Sunday.

As the incident has sent shock waves in the region, among the cops in particular, police have been given clear instructions to nab all the sand smugglers operating in the area. “SP Vijayakumar has directed all Station House Officers (SHO) to spare no one indulging in sand trafficking,” said a police official in Arakkonam sub-division.

In a bid to escape from the wrath of the police and eventual arrest, sand smugglers in Thakkolam, Parameswarmangalam, Purusai and Ganapathipuram have fled from the area. “Several families in these villages along the Kosasthalaiyar River had been involved in sand smuggling. In each village, around 20 to 30 families are engaged in this illegal activity. They make a profit of around `2,000 per trip. They make money by plundering the river,” said a resident.

The sand smugglers have also taken with them the vehicles and machinery and gone into hiding. “Since Sunday, we did not see a single tractor or lorry carrying sand in the area. Usually, 60 to 70 heavy vehicles and tractor trolleys loaded with sand pass through the village every day,” said another villager.

Sand mafia from Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts have also been exploiting the precious mineral of the riverbed at Purusai, which was the converging point of Vellore, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts, said officials.

Villagers in Thakkolam said, corrupt officials in revenue, PWD and police departments were also encouraging the sand mafia.

“We are planning to form an anti-sand trafficking committee in each village along the riverbed. The team will comprise officials from various departments, representatives from local administration and youngsters from the respective village to check sand smuggling,” Revenue Divisional Officer of Ranipet M Priyadharshini told Express.

A meeting would be held to take a final call on this innovative idea, she added.

Friday, 20 March 2015

Abusive Hubby Held for Abetting Woman's Suicide

Last Updated: 20th March 2015VELLORE: Two months after a 25 year-old woman committed suicide by jumping off the third floor of her residence in Ambur, police arrested the woman’s 30 year-old husband on charges of abetting her suicide following an inquest conducted by the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) of Tirupattur, D Rengarajan.

Imiran Basha (the accused) married Sumaiya Banu in 2013, after his first wife left him and was living with her on a third floor apartment in Ambur Town. Basha frequently quarrelled with Banu demanding dowry from her.

On January 10, Banu jumped off the third floor and sustained serious injuries. With the help of neighbours, Basha took her to a nearby private hospital.

The doctors told Basha that his wife had sustained fractures in both legs and referred her to a better hospital.

Basha took her to Nagari in Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh for treatement, where doctors bandaged her legs and discharged her following medical procedures.

Basha took his wife back to Ambur in an autorickshaw but Banu succumbed to her injuries on the way back to Ambur.

“Fearing the wrath of his in-laws, Basha was moving around Ambur in an autorickshaw with the dead body of his wife for more than two hours.

“He was spotted by locals when he tried to take his wife’s body to a Muttukollai for final rites and alerted Banu’s family members,” said a police official attached to Ambur Station.

On information, the woman’s father filed a complaint with Ambur police suspecting foul play in his daughter’s death.

Deputy Superintendent of Police of Ambur P Ganesan filed a case under section 174 (3) and forwarded the case to Revenue Divisional Officer for an inquest as the woman died within seven years of marriage.

The Revenue Divisional Officer conducted an inquiry with the relatives and neighbours of both Banu and her husband and submitted the inquest report to the DSP, who was the investigating officer of the case, a week ago.

“The RDO has clearly stated that the woman committed suicide unable to withstand the dowry harassment at the hands of Basha,” the DSP told Express.

Based on the report, the police altered the section 174 (3) of IPC to sections 498 A (husband or relatives of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) and 306 (abetment to suicide) of IPC and arrested him on Wednesday.

He was remanded in the Vellore Central Prison.

Villagers Send Bribe Cash to CM's Fund

VELLORE: Residents of Kalathur village, following up on their vehement opposition to the proposed sand quarry in the Palar Riverbed, have mailed demand drafts (DD) worth Rs 2,10,970, that was given to several residents of the village by sand contractors as bribe money to enlist their support for the quarry, to the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund on Thursday.

Together with the DDs mailed through speed-post, the villagers also sent a petition expressing their current plight.

The bribe amount was given by sand-contractors to a section of villagers, ward-members and women self-help groups of the Panchayat for enlisting their support for the sand-quarry project. Those villagers who took the bribe were ostracized by the rest of the villagers.

Apologising for their indiscretion, most of the bribe moneys received was returned.

A total of Rs 3,40,000 was distributed as bribe money to several residents of the village.

“We have sent the DDs through speed post addressed to the CM. We did this to send a clear message to corrupt officials and sand contractors that we will never ever allow them to open a sand quarry here,” 30 year-old Logan of Kalathur told the Express. He added that they would collect the remaining bribe amount from the villagers, who were seeking some time to mail it to the CM’s Relief Fund in the coming days.

The villagers, in their petition, have pleaded the CM to protect them from sand-contractors and their supporters. “We are constantly being threatened by the sand-mafia and their supporters. The police have also filed a number of non-bailable cases against us for protesting against the quarry project. In such a scenario, we have no other choice except to seek the help of the Chief Minister of the State,” said a college going student from the village.

The villagers have also sent details of cases filed against some women, college and school going students in and around the village for protesting against the sand quarry project. “We are providing legal assistance to villagers against whom cases have been filed,” said a member of Makkal Mantram, a NGO based in Kancheepuram.

Thursday, 19 March 2015

Detained PWD Men Freed in Ambur

VELLORE: Residents of Naickaneri tribal village in the Ambur forest range held a team of PWD officials captive for nearly an hour on Wednesday demanding the resumption of the building of roads and houses, work on which was stalled following a direction of the Madras High Court. The officials were released by the villagers after being assured of their grievances being addressed.

The background to the villagers’ grievance arose after claims alleging that the tender had been discretely awarded to a contractor.

According to Forest Department sources, the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department had allocated `17 crore for connecting roads and 400 katcha houses for tribals living in Naickaneri, Panakateri and Pudurnadu hills in the Tirupattur Forest Division in the financial year of 2014-2015.

The need for roads and the houses is undeniable.

“Over 7,000 people are living in Naickaneri, Kamanurthattu and Panakateri village in Naickaneri panchayat. There are around 200 students studying in the schools in Ambur. The students walk up and down more than 20 kms per day. We have to reach the plain area by foot,” said panchayat president of Naickaneri K Sivakumar. Pregnant women, elders and sick persons are carried in doli to the plain area, he said.

After the government had awarded the contract for the development work to one Gunasekaran, he began work and completed laying a distance of three kms of the road between Ambur and Naickaneri and 2.6 kms of the road between Peruyamkuppam and Kamanurthattu in Naickaneri hills in October at a cost of `90 lakh.

However another contractor, Kumaresan of Jolarpet, approached the HC and filed a petition claiming the tender had been awarded to Gunasekaran discretely and was not transparent. On hearing the petition, the HC passed an order to stop the works following which, the Forest Department stalled the works in the month of November. However, Kumaresan filed a contempt of court against the Forest Department alleging that the works are still going on.

In response the HC directed the Executive Engineer of PWD, the officials attached to Vellore Division Main, the District Forest Officer of Tiruapttur and the petitioner Kumaresan to conduct a spot-inspection and submit a report.

Complying with the direction, the officials along with the petitioner went to the Tribal village on Wednesday afternoon for the same.

On seeing Kumaresan, agitated villagers held him captive along with the officials. “For the whims and fancy of a person (petitioner), over 7,000 are suffering,” said one villager.

The villagers entered into a heated argument with the petitioner and the officials. After they assured the villagers they would submit a report explaining the problems faced by the villagers, the villagers let them go.

“We are hoping that our decades-old problems will end soon. The government sanctioned the funds after three years of repeated attempts to highlight our plight to the officials and government. We do not want to see it end in vain. We have been dreaming of the road for more than 30 years. But the stay-order obtained by a contractor against development-work has made our situation worse,” the panchayat president said.

Villagers Turn Sand Mafia Bribe into Aid Fund

VELLORE: Residents of Kalathur, who are opposing sand mining in the area, have decided to donate the bribe of Rs 2.18 lakh received by some villagers from a contractor to quell the protests, to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. They decided to return the amount on Wednesday.

The district administration is planning to open sand quarries near Kalathur, comprising about 300 families, ignoring protests by the villagers. The contractor paid bribes totaling Rs 2.18 lakh to several prominent villagers and other residents.

“They gave Rs 50,000 each to four women members of Self Help Groups, Rs 20,000 to each of the seven ward members and Rs 1,000 to around 30 people in the village,” said 50-year-old Rosie of the village.

However, with saner minds prevailing in the village, these families were ostracised for failing to take the larger interests of the hamlet into account.

Realising their mistake and wary of the simmering anger of the rest of the villagers, those who had accepted the bribes tendered an apology to the village and have either returned the bribe money or have promised to surrender the amount in a few days. (Total amount of bribe money collected was Rs 3.40 lakh)

“We decided to return the bribe to the contractor Karikalan, who was backed by corrupt officials and police officers,” said a 45-year-old man, who received Rs 10,000 from the contractor.

However, when Karikalan refused to take the money back, the villagers decided to go to the district headquarters, 60 km from Kalathur, to hand the money over to the administration.

Police, together with PWD and revenue department officials, who the villagers claimed were hand in glove with the sand mafia, prevented them from proceeding beyond the Walajapet toll plaza.

Members of Makkal Mandram, an NGO, and villagers of Kalathur met DRO K Manivannan at the Collectorate recently to hand over the money. But Manivannan refused and instead suggested that they send the amount to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

Following this, the villagers decided to send the bribe amount in the form of a demand draft to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

The villagers claimed that such bribes are not uncommon in the area. “Contractors have bribed the villagers of Sankaranpadi in the presence of the Collector,” they alleged.

“The police, PWD and revenue department officials are hand in glove with the sand mafia. Corrupt officials are supporting the greedy contractors and trying to silence our strong protest,” said a post-graduate student in the village.

Far from being intimidated by the collective voice and the protests against sand mining in the area, the Kaveripakkam and Avalur police, the villagers claimed, have registered four cases under sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapons), 294 (b) (abusing), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his/her duty), 506 (i) (criminal intimidation), 506 (ii) (threatening with deadly weapons) read with 4 of Women Harassment Act against the villagers, most of them college students, youngsters and women, for protesting against mining of sand.