TIRUPUR: More than 100 people on Tuesday attempted to surrender before the Tirupur district court stating that they had failed to protect roads and mineral resources from the mining mafia. They resorted to what they called the “novel protest” after their repeated petitions to the district collector and other officials to stop illegal mining had evoked no response. The Tirupur city police detained more than 100 people for gathering before the court illegally. The protesters included residents, farmers and environmental activists from Peruntholuvu, Nachipalayam and Kathanganni villages in the district. The protesters stated that the roads in the villages were being damaged because of frequent movement of heavy vehicles from tar factories, ready-mix concrete plants and quarries. They alleged that vehicles transported mineral resources in excess of the permitted limits. The protesters tried to enter the court premises and attempted to surrender. Police restricted their entry and held talks with them. However, the protesters refused to disperse, following which the city police detained more than 100 of them. R S Mugilan, coordinator of the Tamil Nadu Environmental Protection Movement, told reporters heavy vehicles were damaging the roads. “As per the norms, vehicles can carry a maximum of 10 tonne of load on village roads. But they carry more loads. Roads laid at a cost of around 15,000 crore in the last five years have been damaged due to this violation.” He said the district administration had failed to take legal action against those damaging the roads.
