Farmers in Karumalloor, Kunnukara and Veliyathunadu panchayats have filed a complaint with the Irrigation Department, alleging that the sand mafia in the area is targeting the Purappillykavu bund built on the Periyar for mining sand worth crores and jeopardising the livelihood of many.
The farmers have alleged that the sand mafia had, in the last couple of years, broken the bund several times even when a ban had been imposed.
They said that similar efforts are being made again ahead of the monsoon.
The main use of the bund, according to Joby, one of the farmers in Kunnukara, is to block the saline water from entering into the river.
As the water level in the river is below the sea-level it is easy for the salt water to seep in and wreak havoc on the cultivation process.
Potable water distribution will also get affected if the saline water comes into the river, he said.
Joby said that last week’s rain had damaged the top portion of the bund, and making the most of the opportunity, the sand mafia has started mining sand from the base of the bund.
“If the authorities do not act immediately, there will be no trace of the bund in a few days’ time,” he said.
An Assistant Engineer of the Kerala Water Authority said that by rough estimate, a minimum of 2,000 to 3,000 cubic metres of sand had gone into the construction of the bund last year.
The samithi members said that the bund may break if the water level rises.
The sand lobby, on the other hand, has started spreading rumours that the bund has already started cracking, so that they can begin their work, the members alleged. The farmers said that they had already lost the ‘Mundakan’ crop.