THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Blowing sky high the High Court’s ban on quarrying, illicit mining continues unhindered at Mookunnimala. Blasting goes on regularly early morning and in the evening.
There are allegations the police and the officers of the Revenue and Geology Departments are hand in glove with the mining mafia. Mookunnimala Samrakshana Samithi activists said vehicles carrying crushed rocks could be frequently seen leaving the quarries. Despite these illegal activities, the police and the Revenue officers have not taken any action, they alleged.
This is taking place at a time when the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau has submitted an interim report to the High Court on the encroachment and mining in the hill. The court has also sought the opinion of the state government with regard to a petition seeking the closure of all illegal quarries in the area. Pallichal village officer Justin Raj told Express the issue of illegal mining would be looked into. He said the police would have to play a bigger role in stopping such activities.
Blasting goes on every day by distorting a High Court order, said Samithi member Manoj Kumar. He alleged mining was done without a licence or the mandatory documents. “The panchayat officers said they had not issued any licence. The Mining and Geology Department also told us they had not issued any pass or papers for quarrying,” he said. A petition had already been lodged with the panchayat, he said. “If no action is taken, the samithi will launch a strong agitation and challenge it legally,” said the activist.
The interim report of the Vigilance had unearthed illegal quarrying beyond the required parameters and encroachment in the area. It was found 43.2 hectares of government property were encroached upon by private quarries. It also said 34.49 hectares of poramboke land, 8.59 hectares of rocky poramboke and 0.136 hectares of road puramboke were also encroached upon.
Illegal mining was also done in 343 acres assigned exclusively for rubber cultivation, according to the report. Illicit quarrying within the buffer zone of the Army Firing Range and the radar station of the Southern Air Command was another key finding. Two former District Collectors were also found to have ignored communications issued by the then Land Revenue Commissioner to take back land used for such activities.