Madras High Court asks State not to hand over lease deed to granite mining bidder

CHENNAI: IN a temporary relief to the State, the Madras High Court has permitted a tender for mining black granite in Dharmapuri. However, the court said that the State shall not execute the lease deed in favour of the successful bidder by handing over possession of sites. A two-member bench passed the directions on the plea moved by former MP R Thamaraiselvan alleging that the auction was carried out without obtaining environmental clearances. 

According to the petitioner, the State is permitting indiscriminate mining of minerals in the area, causing adverse effects on the environment. Earlier, on September 30, the HC restrained the State from confirming the auctions floated for mining black granite in Dharmapuri. The State contended that the tenders pertaining to the auction of mineral blocks are being carried out as per rules framed by the Central government. 

During the hearing, Advocate General Vijay Narayan, assured that no final orders would be passed, possession of lands will not be handed over and that the lease deed also will not be executed. The counsel of the Central government, which was impleaded in the case, sought time to file instruction on the plea. 

The court, recording the submissions made by the counsels, ordered an interim stay on the plea. However, the State shall not execute the lease deed in favour of the successful tender player nor handover the possession of sites till November 3.