Around 54,000 tonnes of Malaysian sand stuck at Karaikal Port

Around 54,000 tonnes of river sand imported from Malaysia has been stuck at Karaikal port since mid-May, awaiting Tamil Nadu government’s nod to transport it via road to Puducherry. The consignment, sourced by a private importer for distribution in Puducherry, has to be transported from Karaikal to the Union territory through more than 100 km of road under TN limits. TN lorry owners said the Tamil Nadu government has denied permission for movement of the sand through the state. Karaikal Port Private Limited (KPPL) sources said the vessel carrying 54,692 tonnes of sand from Pekan port in Malaysia reached Karaikal in mid-May.