Puducherry assembly speaker V Vaithilingam today warned government officials against impounding vehicles carrying sand with necessary permit from Tamil Nadu to the union territory.
Intervening during a debate in the assembly on the impounding of bullock-carts and other vehicles carrying river sand with necessary permit from neighbouring Tamil Nadu to Puducherry, the speaker said he had received complaints of the sand carried by builder being seized despite payment of tax.
"The vehicles and also bullock carts were impounded for days and a fine was imposed by the officials of the revenue department of Puducherry," he said.
The speaker sought to know who had given the officials such authority and however powerful they may be,they would be called by the petitions or privileges committee of the assembly for an explanation.
If the sand was transported without the required permits, the officials should establish that it was brought into Puducherry illegally and was illegally quarried, the speaker said.
DMK legislator R Siva raised the issue of difficulties faced by builders and those constructing houses in Puducherry in getting the sand.
To this, the chief minister V Narayanasamy said the government had decided to import sand from foreign countries and necessary guidelines would be notified in the state gazette shortly.
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