Constitution of State Level Monitoring Committee

What the government order does

G.O. Ms. No. 79, Industries (MMC-1), dated 11th March 2011, was issued by the Industries Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu in compliance with orders of the Madras High Court and its Madurai Bench. It constitutes a State Level Monitoring Committee to monitor sand quarrying in rivers and tributaries throughout Tamil Nadu.

The government order does not state that it changes land ownership or property titles. It may matter to residents, landowners and others affected by nearby river sand quarrying because it establishes monitoring and a complaint process.

Committee and tenure

The State Level Monitoring Committee consists of:

• Justice E. Padmanabhan, retired Judge of the High Court of Madras, as Chairman.
• An Administrative Officer in the rank of Under Secretary to Government.
• A.S. Kannan, retired District Judge, as a full-time member.
• Dr. R. Nagendran, environmentalist and professor at Anna University.
• Dr. N.G. Anuthaman, geologist and assistant professor at Anna University.

The committee's initial tenure is two years. The government order also provides for remuneration or honorarium for its Chairman and members, and requires adequate police protection during site visits.

Monitoring powers and responsibilities

The State Level Monitoring Committee is responsible for:

• Monitoring compliance with the Tamil Nadu Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1959, court directions and the conditions attached to quarrying permission.
• Checking whether sand quarrying is conducted scientifically and skilfully.
• Checking transport permits, accounting procedures and the quantity of sand loaded onto lorries.
• Reporting procedural or rule violations to the relevant District Collector.
• Filing an appropriate report before the court if the district administration does not act.

After permission is granted for sand quarrying in a river or tributary, the relevant District Collector must send the committee the inspecting team's preliminary report and the proceedings granting permission.

Complaints and local coordination

Any person may complain to the State Level Monitoring Committee about illegal quarrying, excessive quarrying, non-compliance with the Tamil Nadu Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1959, or breach of other directions. The committee must examine the complaint, conduct an enquiry, and communicate with the District Collector and the Public Works Department to address the grievance.

For sand quarrying in the Vaipar and Palar rivers, the State Level Monitoring Committee must coordinate with the monitoring committees already constituted under court orders.