Agitated over the State government's plan to allow sand quarrying again at the dry Nambiyar riverbed in the district, residents of various villages in Radhapuram taluk submitted a petition to Collector R. Selvaraj on Monday against the move. Unlike the Tamirabarani, the Nambiar would very rarely experience flood even during active monsoon. Naturally, sand deposit on this riverbed is not so dense and deep. When sand quarrying was allowed in Nambiyar in 2004, the public started revolting against it after the infiltration wells sunk in the riverbed that supplied drinking water to 165 habitations in Radhapuram taluk was badly hit. After then MLA M. Appavu approached the Madras High Court against sand quarrying in Nambiyar river, the court directed that the government should also consider his views before allowing sand mining in the dry riverbed. However, illicit sand mining continued and it even consumed the life of E. Sathish Kumar of Mittaadhaarakulam on March 11 last when he was mowed down by a sand-laden lorry under the cover of darkness. Against this backdrop, the government has reportedly planned to allow sand mining at Namibiyar riverbed and also below the Nambiyar dam. As the news spread, residents of various villages came to the Collectorate with the petition against the proposal. “Since the officials failed to check illegal sand mining completely, anti-social elements are involved in unlawful sand quarrying. Moreover, it is reliably learnt that the government is also contemplating the possibilities of opening a sand quarry at the dry Nambiyar riverbed. If it is not stopped, all 165 habitations including the coastal villages now protesting against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project will not get drinking water,” said S. Sudalai and P. Pattukani of Perunkulam.