A docu-fiction directed by Ambalappuzha native N N Byju, about Madayipara, the flat-topped hillock in Kannur, famous for its biodiversity and scenic beauty and now on the verge of ecological disaster, is gearing up for release.
The shooting for the one-and-a-half-hour-long film has been completed and it is in the post-production stage. The film raises questions about the ill-effects of mining on the beauty of Madayipara.
Byju, who works as a postman at the Ambalappuzha Post Office, believes the Madayipara issue is significant and people need to be made aware of the situation in the area.
“We took up the subject to pose certain questions to the authorities on Madayipara, which is now facing disaster, allegedly owing to mining of China clay for the PSU Kerala Clays and Ceramics.
The theme of the film revolves around the history and evolution of this beautiful place.
We plan to screen the film in select theatres across the state by December,” he said. The film is seen through the eyes of a young girl who returns to Madayipara after many years, only to be shocked by the condition of the paradise where she spent her childhood. Subsequently, she probes the matter and finds that the bio-diversity of Madayipara had been affected by indiscriminate mining.
“The film showcases her desperate attempts to give a new lease of life to her beloved place,” said Byju, whose first venture ‘The Outsider’, a short film on the famed lighthouse in Alappuzha, had made it to the New York Short Film Festival in 2002.
“We have spoken to the many local people in the area for the purpose of making the film. The information we got from the people was shocking. They told us that they could not even clean vessels in the water of the area, but the authorities continue to feign ignorance and the management of Kerala Clays and Ceramics simply refuses to address the issue. The entire area is polluted, including wells and water bodies,” he said. No environmental impact study was conducted in the area before setting up the factory.