KOCHI: Residents of Ramamangalam panchayath in the eastern part of Ernakulam district have come out against the functioning of a granite quarry in the area and have alleged that the owner of the quarry has destroyed a key panchayath road in the area to enable smooth functioning of the quarry with the connivance of the panchayath authorities.
The Ramamangalam Panchayat Anti-Corruption Council also alleged that there was corruption in allowing the quarry near the Manjappallikkadu-Parambakkadu road.
The council office-bearer Santhosh K G alleged that the panchayath president Wilson K John had sent a letter to the quarry owner asking him to build an alternative road.
“This smacks of a sinister design and it is clear that it was with the connivance of the panchayath authorities that the old road was destroyed,” he said. Santhosh also said that the quarry was creating severe environmental impact in its vicinity.
Meanwhile the panchayath president Wilson K John said that the said road was not a panchayath road and it was constructed by the quarry owner for personal use.
He also said that the panchayath had not received any written complaint regarding the road.
“Since people in the area used the road, we deemed it fit to write a letter to the owner of the quarry asking him to construct an alternative road,” the panchayath president said.
