‘Close four stone quarries smothering Panaiyankurichi village’

Farmers staging a dharna in front of the Tirunelveli District Collector during the grievance redress meeting on Monday. | Photo Credit: A. Shaikmohideen Seeking cancellation of licence given for stone quarrying near their village, a group of residents from Panaiyankurichi near Idaikal in Ambasamudram taluk submitted a petition to Collector Anand Mohan during the weekly grievance redress meeting held here on Monday.“Since uncontrolled blasting of rocks using high intensity explosives every day causes cracks in houses besides killing borewells, the quarries should be closed,” the villagers prayed.The petitioners said their villagers primarily relying upon agricultural operations being carried out with rainwater and deep borewell water. After the district administration gave permission for four stone quarries around Panaiyankurichi, uncontrolled explosions had destroyed the aquifers and the hydrological cycle, depleting groundwater table beyond 600 feet.The chemicals in the explosives had mixed with the borewell water making it poisonous, they said.The explosions had seriously damaged houses, public buildings, places of worship, etc. The rural roads connecting Panaiyankurichi had been badly damaged by the lorries carrying heavy loads of stones. The dust billowing from the quarries was causing respiratory diseases to the villagers.“More than 350 villagers are now undergoing treatment for respiratory diseases. Hence, the Collector, by cancelling the permission given to these stone quarries, should save us,” said N. Paramaraj and S.P. Mariappan, who led the petitioners.The farmers, demanding immediate disbursal of money for the paddy they had sold to the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India (NCCF), staged a dharna inside the grievance redress meeting hall on Monday.Led by farmer D. Abraham of Kanarpatti, who is Tirunelveli district secretary of Coordination Committee of Tamil Nadu All Farmers’ Associations, the farmers staged a dharna for a while.“When we are taking loans from banks and moneylenders to meet our medical expenses and educational expenses of our children, the NCCF is refusing to disburse the money for the paddy procured from us,” said Mr. Abraham, who sold over 7.50 tonnes of paddy to the NCCF nine months ago and is yet to get the arrears of nearly ₹1.86 lakh.“I have pledged jewellery in a bank to meet my medical expenses and unnecessarily pay the interest,” said Mr. Abraham.He said one quintal of paddy was procured at ₹ 2,450 while complex fertilizer was sold at ₹2,100 (for 50 kg bag). For good yield, the farmer had to apply potash, costing ₹2,400 (50 kg). And, the cost of pesticides had also skyrocketed.“After spending this much money, we raise paddy and sell it to the NCCF. However, it refuses to give us the money,” said Mr. Abraham, who was pacified with the assurance that the dues would be settled soon.“If it is not done, the affected farmers and their families will lay siege to Manur taluk office on August 3,” he warned. Published - July 27, 2026 06:59 pm IST