The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has questioned the Tamil Nadu government over a stone quarry near Peraiyur that a petitioner says could damage the Oonaan Karadu, also known as Perumal Malai, and archaeological remains located on the hill. The court directed the state’s Mineral Resources Department commissioner, the director of archaeology and the district collector to file responses by November 2.
The direction came during the hearing of a public interest litigation filed by Peththan, president of the Nammalvar Nature Conservation Association. The petition seeks a halt to quarrying near S. Pappinayakkanpatti and P. Sankaralingapuram villages in the Peraiyur area of Madurai district.
According to the petitioner’s submissions, the hill contains archaeological features including ancient burial urns and Vatteluttu inscriptions. The petition argues that allowing quarrying in the area could harm both these heritage remains and the hill’s natural resources.
A division bench comprising Justices P. Velmurugan and K. K. Ramaswamy heard the matter. The Tamil Nadu government sought additional time to file its response during the hearing.
The judges questioned the government’s delay in submitting its affidavit and drew a contrast between the attention given to protecting liquor shops and the response being filed in a matter concerning a natural hill. The court asked whether natural resources, once exploited, could be recovered, and observed that protecting hills was more important than protecting liquor shops.
The court’s remarks do not constitute a final ruling on whether quarrying must stop. The immediate direction is for the three government authorities to respond to the allegations and explain the position on the quarry, the archaeological features and the protection of the hill. The matter is scheduled for further consideration after the responses are filed on November 2.
