The Tamil Nadu State Sand Lorry Owners Federation has raised concerns over poor M-sand quality. There are about 4,000 M-sand manufacturing units in the state. But only 478 units have been approved by the Public Works Department (PWD) for quality. Federation president S. Yuvaraj said many buildings rely heavily on M-sand due to the absence of river sand quarries. Tamil Nadu needs nearly 25,000 loads of M-sand daily, with Chennai alone needing 8,000 loads. However, a shortage of 2,000 loads in Chennai is filled by adulterated sand. M-sand costs ₹55 to ₹60 per cubic foot. Licenses come from the Mining Department and Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, but many units operate without quality checks. This has led to the use of substandard sand in homes and government projects, Yuvaraj said. The Federation filed a complaint at Fort St. George police station, urging action against PWD and Natural Resources department officials for not enforcing rules or stopping illegal units. It demands all unapproved units be reviewed by a State government committee before operating. PWD officials said product quality certification is voluntary. So far, a high-level committee has approved 500 units, with certificates valid for three years for quarry owners and one year for crusher units. Quality checks happen during approvals and renewals. The Natural Resources department is still working on formal rules.