W.P.(MD)No.23575 and 24431 of 2025 BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED: 10.09.2025 CORAM: THE HONOURABLE DR.JUSTICE ANITA SUMANTH AND THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE C.KUMARAPPAN W.P.(MD)Nos.23575 and 24431 of 2025 and W.M.P.(MD)No.18512, 19173, 19175 and 19180 of 2025 Rameswari ... Petitioner in W.P.(MD)No. 23757 of 2025 Neelamegam ... Petitioner in W.P.(MD)No. 24431 of 2025 /Vs./ 1.The District Collector, Office of the District Collector, Sivagangai District. 2.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Office of the Revenue Divisional Officer, Sivagangai District. 3.The Executive Engineer, Public Works Department, (Water Resources Department), Saruganiyaru Vadinilakottam, Sivagangai District. 1/10 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.(MD)No.23575 and 24431 of 2025 4.The Assistant Director, Mines and Minerals Department, Sivagangai District. 5.The Tahsildar, Thiruppuvanam Taluk, Sivagangai District. ... Respondents in W.P.(MD)No. 23575 of 2025 1.The District Collector, Office of the District Collector, Sivagangai District. 2.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Office of the Revenue Divisional Officer, Sivagangai District. 3.The Superintendent of Police, Sivagangai District. 4.The Divisional Engineer (H), Highways Department (C & M), Sivagangai District. 5.The Executive Engineer, Public Works Department, (Water Resource Department), Saruganiyaru Basin Division, Sivagangai District. 6.The Assistant Director, Mines and Minerals Department, Sivagangai District. 2/10 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.(MD)No.23575 and 24431 of 2025 7.The Tahsildar, Thiruppuvanam Taluk, Sivagangai District. 8.Veyilisamy ...Respondents in W.P.(MD)No. 24431 of 2025 PRAYER in W.P.(MD)No.23575 of 2025:- Writ Petition - filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Mandamus, forbearing the fifth respondent from in any manner permitting the issuance of permission for removal of savudu sand/karumabi sand in the famous Kanakankudi Vadakku Kanmoi situated in S.No.397, Enathi Village Group, Tirupuvanam Taluk, Sivagangai District by considering the representation given by the petitioner dated 07.07.2025 within the time stipulated by this Court. PRAYER in W.P.(MD)No.24431 of 2025:- Writ Petition - filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, to call for the records pertaining to the impugned order dated 19.08.2025 passed by the seventh respondent vide proceedings in Certificate No.TN-12020250809252 and quash the same as illegal and consequently forbear the seventh respondent from issuing any permission for removal of Savadu/Karambai soil in Kanakkankudi Vadakku kanmoi comprised in Sur.No.397 situated at Enathi Village Group, Thiruppuvanam Taluk, Sivagangai District by considering the representations dated 18.08.2025, 26.08.2025 and 28.08.2025. 3/10 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.(MD)No.23575 and 24431 of 2025 In W.P.(MD)No.23575 of 2025: For Petitioner : Mr.V.Malaiyendran For R1 to R5 : Mr.P.Thilak Kumar Government Pleader In W.P.(MD)No.24431 of 2025: For Petitioner : Mr.M.Ramesh For RR1, 2 & 4 to 7: Mr.P.Thilak Kumar Government Pleader For R3 : Mr.P.Kottaichamy Government Advocate COMMON ORDER (Order of the Court was made by DR.ANITA SUMANTH, J.) A common order is passed in these two writ petitions insofar as they relate to the activities in relation to Kanakkankudi Vadakku kanmoi in Survey No.397 at Enathi Village Group, Thiruppuvanam Taluk, Sivagangai District (Kanmoi in question). 2.The writ petitions filed by two individuals claiming to be residents in that area. The prayer in W.P.(MD)No.23575 of 2025 is for a mandamus forbearing the fifth respondent from issuing any permission for removal of savadu sand /karumbai sand in kanmoi in question. The 4/10 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.(MD)No.23575 and 24431 of 2025 prayer in W.P.(MD)No.24431 of 2025 challenges the license dated 19.08.2025 permitting digging activities in the Kanmoi in question. 3.We have heard Mr.V.Maliyendran, learned counsel, Mr.M.Ramesh, learned counsel, appearing for the petitioner respectively, Mr.P.Thilak Kumar, learned Government Pleader and Mr.P.Kottaichamy, learned Government Advocate for the official respondents. 4.The impugned license dated 19.08.2025 entitles R8 in W.P. (MD)No.24431 of 2025 to carry out the following acts: “1959-k; tUl jkpo;ehL rpWfdpk rYf tpjpfs; vz;. 12(2) gb Cuf tsu;r;rpj;Jiw / ePu;tsj;Jiwapd; fl;Lghl;bYs;s Vup / Fsk; / fz;kha;fspy; tptrha Nkk;ghl;bw;F/ nrhe;jcgNahfk;/ kz; ghz;l njhopy; nra;tjw;F vLj;Jr; nry;y jFjp tha;e;j Vup/ Fsk;/ fz;kha;fspd; gl;bay; jahu; nra;J ghu;it 3- y; fz;l khtl;l murpjopy; mwptpf;if nra;ag;gl;Ls;sJ. jpUg;Gtdk; tl;lk; Vdhjp fpuhkj;jpy; cs;s Kanakkankudi vadakku Kanmoi Vup/Fsk;/fz;kha;fspy; tptrhagad;ghl;bw;F 185.0 fd kPl;lu; fspkz;/ tz;ly; kz;iz jpUg;Gtdk; tl;lj;jpYs;s Vdhjp fpuhk (441/3,441/6) 5/10 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.(MD)No.23575 and 24431 of 2025 Gy vz;zpw;F vLj;Jr; nry;y. jpU nta;yprhkp rpd;idr; My; tpz;zg;gk; nra;ag;gl;Ls;sJ. jq;fspd; tpz;zg;gk; guprPyid nra;ag;gl;ljpy; jpUg;Gtdk; tl;lk; Vdhjp Fsk; / vz;kha;fspy; fpuhkj;jpy; cs;s Kanakkankudi vadakku Kanmoi Vup / Fsk; tptrhagad;ghl;bw;F 185.0 fd kPl;lu; fspkz; / tz;ly; kz;iz jpUg;Gtdk; tl;lj;jpYs;s Vdhjp fpuhk (441/3,441/6) Gy vz;zpw;F vLj;Jr; nry;y 30 ehs;fSf;F fPo;fz;l epge;jidfSld; mDkjp mspj;J Mizaplg;gLfpwJ.” 5.We find on a perusal thereof that he is only permitted to dig for vandal, which is red sand or Kaliman which is clay, whereas the prayer of the petitioner proceeds on the basis of his apprehension that R5 would remove savadu/karambai soil. We had sought a clarification from the State in respect of the soil found in the Kanmoi in question and the following clarifications have been furnished: “I respectfully submit that in pursuant to the directions of this Hon'ble High Court in this Writ Petition in W.P(MD)No.24431 of 2025 dated 09.09.2025, with respect to clarification of the Layers of the Soil in the said Kanakkankudi Vadakku Kanmoi comprised in Sur. No. 397 situated at Enathi Village Group, Thiruppuvanam Taluk, Sivagangai District, based on the trial pit report I am submitting that 6/10 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.(MD)No.23575 and 24431 of 2025 the following soil textures are found: (i) The Silt and Clay Soil is found from the initial Ground Level to a depth of 1.5 metres. (ii) Thereafter from the depth of 1.5 meters to 1.8 meters (i.e for a depth of 0.3 meters) there is Coarse Sand. (iii) Subsequently from 1.8 meters to 2.7 meters (i.e for a depth of 0.9 meters) there is Kankar Soil. (iv) Then in the subsequent depth there is Dry, Disintegrated Rock which could be classified as soft to hard Gravel is alone present. 2.It is further submitted that on bare perusal of the affidavit of the Writ Petitioner, the Coarse Sand is wrongly being misinterpreted as a River Sand before this Hon'ble High Court” 6.The State, on instructions, confirms that there is no river sand in the Kanmoi and the license only entitles R8 in W.P.(MD)No.24431 of 2025 to remove the top layers comprising silt and clay soil. 7.Hence, the apprehensions of the petitioner are misconceived, and the writ petitions are dismissed. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petitions are closed. [A.S.M.J.,] & [C.K.J.,] 10.09.2025 NCC :Yes/No 7/10 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.(MD)No.23575 and 24431 of 2025 Internet :Yes ta To 1.The District Collector, Office of the District Collector, Sivagangai District. 2.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Office of the Revenue Divisional Officer, Sivagangai District. 3.The Executive Engineer, Public Works Department, (Water Resources Department), Saruganiyaru Vadinilakottam, Sivagangai District. 4.The Assistant Director, Mines and Minerals Department, Sivagangai District. 5.The Tahsildar, Thiruppuvanam Taluk, Sivagangai District. 6.The Superintendent of Police, Sivagangai District. 7.The Divisional Engineer (H), Highways Department (C & M), Sivagangai District. 8/10 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.(MD)No.23575 and 24431 of 2025 9/10 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.(MD)No.23575 and 24431 of 2025 DR.ANITA SUMANTH, J. AND C.KUMARAPPAN, J. ta W.P.(MD)Nos.23575 and 24431 of 2025 10.09.2025 10/10 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis