Summary:
A source said that the no-objection certificate was yet to be cleared from PWD for the quarry in Ariyur. Since the only quarry was not inadequate to meet the requirements of the bullock carts from across the district, the district administration promised them to check the feasibility for opening a quarry in Ariyur across Kollidam River. However, it met with stiff resistance from local people who were against bullock carts passing through their area.Later, a new quarry was opened in Madhavaperumalkovil across Kollidam River near Mannachanallur nearly two months ago. Trichy: A group of bullock cart owners staged a waiting protest outside the taluk office in Lalgudi in Trichy here on Thursday, demanding to set up a sand quarry only for carts in Ariyur across Kollidam River.G K Ramar, district president, sand bullock cart workers association, said the assurance given by district administration in a meeting held on December 6 was still on paper.“They had promised to create a suitable atmosphere for quarrying in Ariyur. With more than two weeks gone, there is no sign of that happening,” Ramar said.Since the closure of sand quarries over environmental concern, cart owners, whose works involve loading sand from quarries and transporting them to short distance for sale, were calling for a separate quarry for them.In the wake of the protests, the PWD had opened a quarry for bullock carts in Panayakurichi across Cauvery River in April this year..