Green activists seek protection from Noyyal sand smugglers

  • | Sunday | 22nd April, 2018

We will continue to stop lorries carrying smuggled sand,” he said.The tahsildhar told TOI that the seized truck was carrying river sand. Coimbatore: South taluk revenue officials seized a tipper truck carrying river sand parked on the Ukkadam Bypass Road on Friday night. But, our fight to protect Noyyal riverbed will continue. We have not booked a case and will provide a chance to submit the documents,” said a revenue official.Meanwhile, officials at Alandurai, Mathuvarayapuram, Karunya and Narasipuram have formed teams to catch sand smugglers and trucks carrying river sand. “We are worried that the smugglers will go to any extent to hurt us,” said Ranganathan, a member of the Noyyal Paadhugaapu Kuzhu.

Coimbatore: South taluk revenue officials seized a tipper truck carrying river sand parked on the Ukkadam Bypass Road on Friday night. The officials had reached the spot after receiving a tip-off about sand smuggling.To the officials’ surprise, truck driver R Prabhu turned out to be a member of Noyyal Paadhugaapu Kuzhu, an NGO working to protect Noyyal river.Prabhu told TOI that he had taken the sand from a government quarry at Manachanallur in Trichy. “After the truck broke down, I was late to reach Coimbatore and my permit got expired. So, I parked it at Ukkadam because I could not supply the consignment at midnight,” he said, alleging that those who informed the revenue officials were among the sand smugglers from Noyyal riverbed and they did so to take revenge against him.“They are taking revenge as we had stopped many of their lorries. But, our fight to protect Noyyal riverbed will continue. We will continue to stop lorries carrying smuggled sand,” he said.The tahsildhar told TOI that the seized truck was carrying river sand. “It is difficult for us to say if it is from Noyyal or Cauvery. But we will levy a fine. We have not booked a case and will provide a chance to submit the documents,” said a revenue official.Meanwhile, officials at Alandurai, Mathuvarayapuram, Karunya and Narasipuram have formed teams to catch sand smugglers and trucks carrying river sand. “Sand smuggling at the riverbed has completely stopped in the last five days. We have formed committees along with the police department and volunteers in the area are keeping a close watch as well,” said a revenue official.The volunteers fighting to save the riverbed from sand smugglers stated that they will petition the district collector seeking protection and security for them. “We are worried that the smugglers will go to any extent to hurt us,” said Ranganathan, a member of the Noyyal Paadhugaapu Kuzhu.

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