KOCHI: After a brief hiatus, the powerful quarry mafia has restarted razing hillocks in the eastern parts of Ernakulam district. Though some of the panchayats like Thiruvaniyoor and Mulanthuruthy have taken stern action and banned quarrying of red earth from the hillocks following a strong protest by people, now the big and beautiful Bungalow Mala in Chottanikara panchayat is being razed by the quarry mafia. While the panchayat authorities claim that the local body and the geology department have given permission for quarrying the hillock, local residents allege that huge quantities of red earth is being removed in the name of a permit given for levelling 10 cents of land for the purpose of house construction.
“Quarrying on the hillock which started five years ago had to be stopped after the road to the site was damaged completely. Now, the road has been resurfaced and the quarry mafia has restarted excavation last week,” said a local resident. Hundreds of truckloads of red earth is being removed from the area and half of the hillock has already been razed and it will have serious environmental impact according to green experts.
Several wards in Chottanikkara panchayat including Thalakode, where the hillock is situated, have been facing acute water scarcity. The area had several big and small hillocks which have been demolished resulting in severe water scarcity even during monsoon. P.A Thankachan of Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishat, which could successfully stop quarrying in Manakkamala in Mulanthuruthy through effective intervention, said that the massive quarrying can be prevented only through people’s protest.
“The powerful quarry mafia always secures permits from agencies concerned to raze hillocks. Hence, the only way to stop quarrying is forcefully preventing the workers. Local residents can also demand that the panchayat convene a special grama sabha to discuss the hazards of quarrying and force the local body to cancel the permit given,” he said.
