Chennai, Aug 20 (IANS): Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) State President Anbumani Ramadoss has called upon the Tamil Nadu government to take stringent action to prevent illegal smuggling of minerals to Kerala.

The senior leader said that minerals like granite, gravel stones and M-sand are being smuggled from Southern and Western districts of Tamil Nadu.

He said that some officials are also involved in the illegal smuggling. He urged the government to take strong action against those officials who were part of this smuggling nexus.

He said that granite was mined using explosives and that residents live in fear due to its mining. He said that several trucks are plying on day to day basis from the granite quarries in Kanniyakumari and Tirunelveli and are causing road accidents.

The PMK leader said that the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court had ordered the closing down of all illegal quarries in Southern districts of Tamil Nadu, but no action was taken by the government.

He said that the extraction of minerals from below the ground using explosives were causing an environmental hazard and impacting the lives of the people.

He called upon the Tamil Nadu government to shut down all illegal quarries and to install check posts at all the state borders.