Chennai court petition alleges M-Sand scam; lorry owners demand action against govt officials
Plea accuses officials of dereliction of duty in regulating M-Sand production, leading to use of substandard materials, building collapses, and loss of lives
In a possible sign of irregularities in Tamil Nadu’s construction materials sector, sand lorry owners of Tamil Nadu have filed a petition in court seeking directions to police to register an FIR against senior government officials.
S Yuvaraj, president of the Tamil Nadu State Sand Lorry Owners’ Federation, filed the petition in the VII Metropolitan Magistrate Court in George Town, Chennai, on February 2. In it, he accused the authorities of dereliction of duty in regulating manufactured sand (M-Sand) production, which, he alleged, has led to widespread use of substandard materials, building collapses, and loss of lives across the state.
What is M-Sand?
Manufactured sand (M-Sand) is an eco-friendly, engineered alternative to river sand produced by crushing hard granite rocks into fine, angular particles. It offers high durability, consistent quality, and minimal impurities.
Yuvaraj, whose federation is registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act, said in his affidavit, “Out of over 4,000 private M-Sand manufacturing units operating in Tamil Nadu, only 478 have proper quality certifications from the Public Works Department (PWD). The rest allegedly are running without necessary approvals from the PWD or the Pollution Control Board, deceptively selling low-grade ‘quarry dust’ as high-quality M-Sand, a practice akin to corruption.”
Also read: SC stalls CBI probe into Rs 5,832-cr beach sand-mining 'scam' in TN
“This unchecked operation has turned into a free-for-all, with no oversight,” the petition added. Yuvaraj pointed to the mining department’s approval of 1,376 crushers and quarries, leaving around 900 units without quality checks, while the Pollution Control Board has permitted over 4,000 units to produce M-Sand and aggregates.
Risk of structural failure
The petition attributes the chaos to internal bureaucratic turf wars following the bifurcation of departments. Originally under the PWD, M-Sand oversight shifted to the newly formed Water Resources Department, leading to a “power struggle” between ministers. This, Yuvaraj argued, has paralysed officials, allowing substandard units to flourish without regulations or penalties.
Naming specific high-ranking officials, Yuvaraj held the PWD Secretary, Additional Secretary of Natural Resources and Mining, Chief Engineer and Superintending Engineer (PWD-Planning) accountable. He accused them of colluding with errant manufacturers by failing to create legal frameworks for enforcement, indirectly supporting the proliferation of fake M-Sand.
Thousands of government and private structures, including the KP Park in Puliyanthope, housing board residences in Karunilam village near Singaperumal Kovil, Egmore police quarters, and a private building in Kanchipuram district, are being built with unapproved materials, increasing the risk of structural failures, the petition claimed.
Also read: TN: CBI conducts mega search in Rs 5,800-crore sand-mining ‘scam’
“These officials must bear full responsibility for ongoing building collapses and fatalities,” the affidavit read, urging the court to direct an FIR under Sections 198 and 201 of the BNS, 2023, equivalent to former IPC Sections 166 and 167 for misconduct, causing deaths, property damage, and negligent handling of public safety.
Multiple representations
Yuvaraj’s crusade isn’t new. Over the past four years, he has submitted multiple representations to district collectors, superintendents of police, and other authorities, demanding temporary shutdowns of unlicensed units and the formation of a special investigative committee.
His latest efforts included petitions to the Inspector of Police at B3 Fort Police Station on December 27 last year, the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Flower Bazaar Range) on January 6, and the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Harbour Range) on January 20.
All were acknowledged but ignored, with no Community Service Register (CSR) issued or action taken, prompting a court intervention under Section 175(3) of BNSS. The petition is listed for hearing on February 11.
