GOVERNMENT OF TAMILNADU PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT

From : To Er.S.Kannan,B.E.,M.I.E.,M.B.A., The Chairman, Executive Engineer,PWD/WRD., SEIAA, , Vellar Basin Division, Chennai – 15. -606 001.

Letter No. / DB/JDO/F.10/ 2017 /Dt: .

Sir,

Sub: Mines and Quarries – Sand Quarry operation – Quarrying of sand at S.F.No.No.8(P), Koodalaiyathur Village, Taluk, District – Specific condition imposed – Request to change - Regd. Ref: 1. SEIAA Lr No.TN /F.No.3369 /EC/1(a)/1930/2015/Dt.30.03.2015.

2. District Collector,Cuddalore RC No.163/G&M/2013/Dt.23.04.2015.

******* With reference to letter 1st cited, the State Level Environment Impact Assessment

Authority granted the Environmental Clearance for the project of “Quarrying of sand at S.F

No.8(P), Koodalaiyathur Village, Kattumannarkoil Taluk, ”, for the period of three years. The clearance is granted for the extent of 19.72.40 Ha in River bed of

Coleroon for the quantity of 197240 cum of sand.

The SEIAA in its preamble of Environmental Clearane order dated 30.03.2015 put the specific conditions (iv) “the proponent shall do the sand quarrying only manually and no machineries should be used for quarrying of sand in the river” based on the impugned guidelines of MoEF Dated 24.12.2013, which was stayed and struckdown by Principle

Bench of National Green Tribunal on 13.01.2015.

As per the District Collector, Cuddalore proceedings 2 cited, the Public Work

Department is permitted to use the judicial number of poclains in sand quarry operation at

Koodalaiyathur village by imposing the strict condition, citing the Environmental Clearance order, The Government have decided that as per the power conferred under the rule 36-A(6) of Tamil Nadu Minor Mineral Concession Rules 1959, The District Collector are permitted to grant restricted and judicious use of minimum number of poclains i.c not more than two poclains in each of quarry site in the state (other than Palar River and Thamiraparani River).

I further submit that, the State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority is issuing the environmental Clearance by permitting the Public Works Department for judicious use of poclains in sand quarry operation recently.

The said clearance of Koodalaiyathur sand quarry was granted on 30.03.2015 after the impugned guidlines dated 24.12.2013, which was stayed be the Principle Bench of

National Green Tribunal on 28.03.2014 and struckdown on 13.01.2015 in its final judgement.

In view of the above fact, I request the authority to make the necessary modifications in specific conditions of the Environmental Clearance for judicious use of poclains in the

Koodalaiyathur Sand Quarry as issuing in the recent orders.

,