Kachaikatti has witnessed a surge in quarry activities, with ten currently active quarries and over thirty having ceased operations. Among them, INBARAJ Quarry and ANANDHA SIVA Quarry are operating without proper licenses. Additionally, thirty crushers are situated west of the village, while the quarries are to the east, with water bodies in between. Recently, the government approved a new quarry, Karruppaiyah Quarry.

Illegal practices, including soil contamination through chemical spraying and the construction of roads over water channels, have facilitated quarry expansion. Authorities, including the VAO and Tahsildar, are allegedly complicit in enabling these operations. The mining activities have severely impacted the environment, leading to groundwater contamination, air pollution, and health crises such as kidney stones, respiratory diseases, and skin ailments. Explosives used in quarrying have caused structural damage to homes, and vibrations have led to cracks in buildings.

Prominent activist HRD Gnanasekaran has relentlessly campaigned against illegal quarrying, submitting multiple petitions and exposing the violations in a viral interview. However, government agencies have failed to take action.

Attack on HRD Gnanasekaran

On December 20, 2024, at around 6 PM, Gnanasekaran was violently attacked near his house by an unknown assailant armed with an iron rod. The attacker, reportedly linked to quarry interests, targeted him for his activism. Locals rushed to help, and he was admitted to Vadipatti GH before being transferred to Madurai GH for severe injuries, including a blood clot.

Legal and Constitutional Violations

The attack on Gnanasekaran is a direct violation of his fundamental rights under the Indian Constitution:

• Article 19(1)(a): Guarantees freedom of speech and expression, including the right to dissent against illegal exploitation.
• Article 21: Ensures the protection of life and personal liberty, which was compromised by the assault.

Despite repeated appeals, authorities have failed to act against illegal quarry operations or the perpetrators of this attack. HRDA views this as an act of retaliation against a human rights defender exercising his right to free expression and calls for urgent legal intervention.

Appeal:         

We urge the Hon’ble Commission to take cognizance of the above case and urgently and :

• To direct the Director General of Investigation of the NHRC to initiate a transparent, independent inquiry about the incident and submit the report to the NHRC within two weeks
• To direct the state of Tamil Nadu to ensure protection to this EHRD as well as his entire family from any further retaliation or harm using the provisions of the Witness and Victim Protection Scheme 2018 and report back to the Hon’ble Commission on actions initiated.;