THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It comes like a sudden bang on your head. The tremors shake you to your core like the world is crumbling around you. Everything is falling apart,” says Pushkala L, who counts the daily blasts from the nearby quarry.
A few days ago, she recorded 12 explosions, just after the Department of Geology had inspected the condition of the quarry.
“It was quiet when the officials visited. Once they left, the blasting resumed. There are no fixed timings for the explosions. Sometimes it begins in the early morning, other times midday or even late at night,” she adds.
Her daughter-in-law is four months pregnant and is suffering from the loud noises.
Mini Sugathan says that her daughter was asleep when a portion of the roof plate fell on her. Homes are not safe anymore, she says.
This isn’t an isolated incident. The long stretches of Pullampara and Mukkudil wards near Venjaramoodu of Vamanapuram constituency have been bearing the brunt of the quarry’s operations for the past 33 years.
In March 2023, Pullampara panchayat standing committee chairman Sreekandan warned the District Collector about the quarry’s potential to trigger landslides. Though the complaint was forwarded to the Nedumangad Tehsildar, no action was taken. Six months later, disaster struck.
On October 15, 2023, a landslide in the middle of the night behind the quarry came down onto the homes on the hillside, destroying two. The timely intervention by neighbours saved seven lives, including four children.
“We thought it was minor soil erosion. We alerted neighbours and moved to safety. By morning, our house was swallowed by the earth. My brother-in-law’s house, still under construction, was also destroyed. Even after the catastrophe, the quarry continued operations,” recounted Thameema Thasni, a survivor of the landslide.
Following the disaster, public outrage forced the panchayat to issue a stop memo to the quarry. However, operations resumed shortly after, with authorities, including the panchayat, granting permission despite protests.
The quarry currently functions under an interim court order permitting limited activity. However, it lacks approval from the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority, relying instead on a 2018 permit from the District Environmental Impact Assessment Department. This permit falsely claims that Mukkudil, the nearest residential area, is over a kilometre away, disregarding densely populated areas like Venkamala, Maruthummoodu, Mamoodu and Pullampara.
The permit also ignores landmarks such as the Venkamala Kani tribal settlement and Venkamala temple, instead referencing the distant Sasthamnada temple, located 1.5 kilometres away. Residents believe that had these details been accurately documented, the region may not have been as disaster-prone as today.
Over the past two months, residents have been reporting large-scale explosions causing structural damage to their homes near the foothills. Six houses have developed severe cracks, including those owned by Shamsudeen C E, Sugathan R and Shanavas Khan in Mamoodu and Shahjahan E, Jalalluddeen, and Mohammed Basheer in Pullampara.
In total, 33 houses near the hill and 18 homes near the Venkamala temple are currently at risk, say the residents. The 90-degree incline of Venkamala adds to the danger, threatening over 50 homes below precariously balanced boulders in Maruthummoodu.
Newly constructed houses, less than two years old, are already showing signs of deterioration. Many have moved away leaving their properties unfinished.
“The risk of another landslide like 2023 is high. The soil structure is worsening, and the cracks in our homes are widening. Elderly people and infants are the worst affected. And it’s not just about the damage — there’s no way out for us. Nobody will buy this land or marry into a place like this” laments Shaila, pointing to the large cracks in her kitchen.
Another critical issue is the rainwater accumulating in deep pits left by quarrying. These pools create a dam effect, further destabilising the hills and heightening the risk of landslides in nearby settlements. Continuous quarrying has severely altered the area’s geological structure.
The quarrying operations have also polluted air and water, severely impacting the lives here. Waste from the quarry flows into a small stream that feeds the Vamanapuram River. Along its banks live tribal and Dalit communities who rely on the water for bathing and drinking, especially during summer.
“The officials deliberately hid the extent of inhabited areas when issuing permits for the quarry. We’ve approached every authority — from the panchayat, village office, collectorate, geology department to the environmental impact division. We are now organising large-scale protests,” says Saseendhran Nair, a member of the Pullampara Janakeeya Samara Samithi.
“This is a genuine issue. The quarry’s permit expires in March 2025, and we plan to raise this matter with the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority. We cannot afford to ignore the risks posed to the residents,” assures Vamanapuram MLA D K Murali.
Despite repeated attempts from TNIE, nor the quarry officials or the employees responded to calls or messages. Employees hung up the call when contacted.