Stand against alleged LDF move to open 6 quarries in Valakkavu
Thrissur: All illegal quarries in the state operating using false documents and causing environmental issues need to be closed, Ollur MLA K Rajan has said. His statement comes in view of the ongoing indefinite day-night protest by the residents of Valakkavu in Nadathara panchayat in front of Thrissur Collectorate here against the alleged move of the LDF Government to re-open six quarries and four crushers in the locality which were closed a few weeks before the Assembly elections.
It was for the first time the MLA was making an official statement on the issue after the agitations which stared two months ago. KPCC president V M Sudheeran and BJP president Kummannan Rajasekharan had visited the protestors at the collectorate and extended all support to them. “I am concerned about the issue of those residing near the quarries and also about the jobs of 300 workers in the quarry. A high-level meeting will be held in Thiruvanatha-puram in the presence of Farm Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar on Tuesday and I want the government to find a solution to the issue. Both my party (CPI) and I have made our stand earlier as well,” Mr Rajan said.
He said that the demand of the protestors to cancel the deeds given to the quarry and crusher owners would be examined in the meeting on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the leader of the Malayora Samrakshan Samithi Joby Kaippangal said that as directed by the High Court, citing violations of rules, the licence of nearly 20 quarries were cancelled at Muniyattukunnu at Mupliyam near Puthukkad here.
“So, our request to the government is to abide by the HC order without delaying the cancellation of the licences to the quarries by citing technicalities,” he said. He also alleged that two CPM ministers were supporting the re-opening of the quarries in Valakkavu and so the CPI MLA was not able to take a strong decision on the matter.
