Thrissur: Collector A. Kowsigan has sought more time from protesters against quarries in Valakkavu in Nadathara Panchayat during the discussions held with them in his chamber on Friday. The residents of Valakkavu had started a day-night protest in front of the Collectorate on September 28 demanding cancelation of licence to six quarries and four crushers that operated on Forest land after obtaining land assignment deeds from the government for carrying out agriculture.
“We submitted all documents in our procession to the collector to substantiate our claims. He said that he needed a month’s time to decide on cancellation of the licence of the units. On the issue of St Joseph’s Granites, which claims that the land was inherited, we have handed over several reports of the Pollution Control Board citing non-compliance in matters like safe distance to be maintained from residential areas,” the leader of the protestors, Joby Kaippangal, said.
The protesters also made it clear to the Collector that there was no need for conducting any new surveys and studies on illegal use of land and on pollution caused by quarries as there were several court orders and reports against the quarry and crusher owners. They said that the protest would continue till the district administration issued the cancellation order. Meanwhile, the owners and workers of quarries conducted a symbolic ‘suicide protest’ near the Collectorate against closing of the quarries on Friday.
