Thirumal residents threaten to boycott polls seeking closure of quarry

Madurai: Around 200 residents of Thirumal village gathered in front of the Madurai district collectorate on Friday, threatening to boycott the assembly elections if a stone quarry in the village is not closed. They tried to hand over their voter identity cards, ration cards and Aadhaar cards to officials.Protesters said stone debris from explosions in the quarries often fell on nearby agricultural fields, damaging crops and posing a threat to the people working there. The quarrying operations are also done very close to water bodies, posing a significant health hazard to villagers. Despite repeated representations for closure of the quarry, villagers said officials have not taken any action. On Friday, villagers withdrew the protest after district officials assured that appropriate action would be taken in this regard.