P. Raguraman v. The Principal Secretary
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 03.07.2025
CORAM:
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE S.M.SUBRAMANIAM AND THE HONOURABLE DR.JUSTICE A.D.MARIA CLETE and W.M.P.(MD)Nos.13552, 13553, 23097, 13576 & 23083 of 2019 W.P.(MD)No.16982 of 2019 P.Raguraman ... Petitioner Vs.
1.The Principal Secretary, Secretariat, Namakkal Kavingar Maligai, Chennai.
2.The Chief Engineer, 3.The Executive Engineer, River Conservation Division, Contonment, Trichy.
4.The Project Director, 1/7
Chennai.
5.The Executive Engineer, 6.The Junior Engineer, Unniyur Sand Quarry Site, Unniyur, Thottiyam Taluk, Trichy District.
7.The District Collector, Collectorate, Tiruchirappalli.
8.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Musiri Revenue Division, Musiri-621 211, Trichy District.
9.The Tahsildar, Thottiyam Taluk, Thottiyam, Trichy District.
10.The Member Secretary, State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority, 3rd Floor, Panagal Maligai, Jeenis Road, Saidapet, Chennai-15.
...Respondents
PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents not to open the new sand quarry site in Cauvery River at Unniyur Revenue Village in Survey No.1, Thottiyam Taluk, Trichy District at once based on the petitioner's representation dated 04.07.2019. 2/7
For Petitioner : Mr.P.Ganapathi Subramanian For R1 to R9 : Mr.P.Thilak Kumar, Government Pleader For R10 : Mr.N.Dilip Kumar W.P.(MD)No.17009 of 2019 V.Sumathi ... Petitioner Vs.
1.The Secretary to Government, Government of Tamil Nadu, Fort St.George, Chennai-600 009.
2.The Commissioner of Geology and Mining, Government of Tamil Nadu, Guindy, Chennai-600 032, Tamil Nadu.
3.The Chairman, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, 76, Mount Road, Chennai.
4.The District Collector, Collectorate, Trichy District, 5.The Assistant Director, Department of Geology and Mining, Collectorate, Trichy.
6.The Executive Engineer, Public Works Department, (Water Resource Department), Trichy District.
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7.The Assistant Executive Officer, Public Works Department (Water Resources Department), Musiri, Trichy District.
8.State Environment Impact Assessment Authority, Rep., by its Chairman, D/2/1, AIS Housing Complex, Natesan Nagar West, Virugambakkam, Chennai-92.
...Respondents
PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents to ban the sand quarrying operation in S.F.No.1 (part), Unniyur Village, Thottiyam Taluk, Trichy District at river Cauvery.
For Petitioner : Mr.V.Karuna For R1, R2, R4 : Mr.P.Thilak Kumar, to R7 Government Pleader For R3 : Mrs.Madhuri Dhonti Reedy For R8 : Mr.N.Dilip Kumar COMMON ORDER (Order of the Court was made by S.M.SUBRAMANIAM, J.) The learned Government Pleader appearing for the official respondents would submit that as on today, no permission has been granted for river sand quarrying in Cauvery River. If at all any illegal sand quarrying is identified, the 4/7
petitioners are at liberty to file a complaint before the authorities competent and the authorities competent are also expected to keep vigil and such illegal river sand quarrying offenders are to be prosecuted in the event of any such illegal sand quarrying.
2.With these observations, these Writ Petitions are disposed of. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petitions are closed. (S.M.S., J.) & (A.D.M.C., J.) 03.07.2025 NCC : Yes / No Index : Yes / No Yuva To 1.The Principal Secretary, Secretariat, Namakkal Kavingar Maligai, Chennai.
2.The Chief Engineer, 3.The Executive Engineer, River Conservation Division, Contonment, Trichy.
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4.The Project Director, Public Works Department, Chennai.
5.The Executive Engineer, Public Works Department, Trichy.
6.The Junior Engineer, Unniyur Sand Quarry Site, Unniyur, Thottiyam Taluk, Trichy District.
7.The District Collector, Collectorate, Tiruchirappalli.
8.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Musiri Revenue Division, Musiri-621 211, Trichy District.
9.The Tahsildar, Thottiyam Taluk, Thottiyam, Trichy District.
10.The Commissioner of Geology and Mining, Government of Tamil Nadu, Guindy, Chennai-600 032, Tamil Nadu.
11.The Assistant Director, Department of Geology and Mining, Collectorate, Trichy.
12.The Assistant Executive Officer, Public Works Department (Water Resources Department), Musiri, Trichy District.
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S.M.SUBRAMANIAM, J.
AND DR.A.D.MARIA CLETE, J.
Yuva 03.07.2025 7/7