20-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Madras HC imposes Rs 25 lakh cost on state for violating court order directing grant of quarry licence in 2010
MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court recently ordered the Industries department to pay Rs 25 lakh cost for failing to obey an order passed by the court in 2010, directing the department to grant quarry permission to a man in a 10-hectare land in Tiruchy district.
Hearing a contempt petition filed by the man, N Babu (now deceased), in 2015, Justice K Kumaresh Babu directed the principal secretary of the department to pay Rs 20 lakh to Babu's family, who were added as petitioners in 2020, and deposit the remaining amount in favour of the Chief Justice Relief Fund, within two months.
According to the order, Babu was granted lease to quarry sand in the above land for three years from December 2001 to December 2004. Subsequently, the state government passed a G.O. on October 1, 2003, taking over the operation of all sand quarries in the state.
The Supreme Court had upheld the validity of the said rule but permitted lessees, who were in existence on the above date, to continue quarrying operations for a limited period and also directed refund of unutilised lease amounts.
