Opposition parties in Tamil Nadu Wednesday hit out at the government over the transfer of Tuticorin District Collector Ashish Kumar after a team of officials carried out a survey on beach sand quarrying.
In a statement issued here, Leader of Opposition Vijayakanth, of the DMDK, said: "While the government has the power to transfer its officials, it should however be in people's interest."
According to him, the transfer is condemnable and the centre should take appropriate action so that the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officials can perform their functions impartially.
According to PMK leader S.Ramadoss, the first priority of the government is to prevent the plunder of state's natural resources. He urged the state government to revoke Kumar's transfer order.
Ashish Kumar has been transferred and posted to act as deputy secretary, social welfare and nutritious meals department and M.Ravikumar, district collector, Ariyalur, will replace him at Tuticorin.
Chief Secretary Sheela Balakrishnan was not available for comments on the transfer despite several efforts by IANS.
Officials of Tuticorin district administration inspected the sand quarries in Vaippar and Vembar villages in Tuticorin district Tuesday on complaints that a mining company with a permission to mine in four hectares has been mining in 30 hectares.
"On the basis of complaints from fishing community, we inspected the mining areas in Vaippar village. The leasee has been given permission to mine in four hectares. On inspection we found the mining was carried out in 30 hectares," Ashish Kumar told IANS over phone.
"Around 230,000 tonnes of beach sand minerals have been quarried in Vaippar village without permission from the government. We have sent the report to the government and action will be taken," he said.
"We have not quantified the quantum of loss to the government," he added.
He said the violations by the leasee in two other villages in the district was not much.
"After mining they have to fill up the pits which they have not done. The environmental norms have been violated," he added.
The suspension of Uttar Pradesh cadre IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal, who took on the sand mafia in Noida district, had raised a public outcry. The state government said she was suspended for ordering the demolition of a mosque wall, and this could have led to communal tensions.
