Ex-Geology chief gets an earful from HC for action favouring illegal mining

IAS officer currently serving as WRD secy had revoked suspension of licence of a lease holder

- R SIVAKUMAR @ Chennai

THE Madras High Court has severely criticised an IAS officer, who had served as Commissioner of Geology and Mining, for issuing a "completely fraudulent, aberrational and unconscionably illegal" order to revoke the temporary suspension of quarrying licence of a lease holder in Tiruppur district, who was slapped with a meagre penalty of ₹10.40 crore for illegal mining, without following due legal procedures.

The officer, J Jayakanthan, is currently serving as secretary of water resources department. He had, in his capacity as Commissioner of Geology and Mining in 2022, revoked the suspension of licence and permitted lease holder R Ramakrishnan to resume mining operations by paying an initial fine of ₹30 lakh and the remaining amount in instalments.