Date:17/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/17/stories/2008071752550300.htm

Tamil Nadu

Veerangkuppam residents gherao tahsildar

Staff Reporter

Tirupattur
Sub Division
Sub-Collector had given permission to dredge sand for a government building

AMBUR: Residents of Veerangkuppam near Ambur gheraoed the Vaniyambadi tahsildar on Wednesday for permitting sand quarrying in their area. However, they gave up the protest after talks.

Enquiries revealed that the Tirupattur Sub Division Sub-Collector, Ashish Kumar, had given permission to dredge sand from Veerangkuppam for the construction of a government building at Tirupattur.

Based on the instruction from the Sub Collector, sand was dredged for transportation to Tirupattur.

Seeing this activity, the residents of Veerangkuppam staged a protest. They did not allow the lorry drivers to move with the sand load.

On receiving information about the protest, Vaniyambadi tahsildar Janarthan rushed to the spot. As soon as he reached the spot, the residents gheraoed him and urged him to cancel the permission. The tahsildar was gheraoed for a long time.

He was released after the police intervened.

The Sub-Collector also rushed to the spot and held talks with the people.