THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With no let up in quarry activities at Mookunnimala and the government not taking any action to stop them, the Defence Ministry has been asked to intervene and take over the land by invoking the Works of Defence Act. Since the Air Force radar station is located on the hill, mining activities might pose a danger to it. “These installations are under threat since the quarry mafia is making Mukkunnimala unstable. The only way to prevent a disaster is to invoke the relevant sections of the Works of Defence Act 1903. The entire Mukkunnimala needs to be brought under the Defence Ministry’s jurisdiction in the interest of national security,” Mookunnimala Samrakshana Samithi activist S Latha said in her representation to the Southern Air Command, Thiruvananthapuram.
The Works of Defence Act provides ample scope for the Army, Air Force and Navy to declare any strategic land as defence estate if it is deemed necessary to keep national security intact. Latha, who has filed several cases in the High Court against alleged illegal mining, in her representation has made a strong demand for emergency steps that need to be taken on a war footing. She cites steps like taking over the land, a total ban on mining, all kinds of excavations, use of explosives and its storage within one km radius of the Air Force station buffer zone.
She alleged huge quantity of banned explosives are being used for mining and the vibrations caused by the explosions have caused extensive damage to the Air Force installations located on the hill.
She brought attention to the numerous letters sent by the Commanding Officer of the Southern Air Command to the state government as well as the Thiruvananthapuram District Collector. In the letter sent in 2013, the Air Command said the mines located close to the Air Force area are using high-grade explosives which cause severe vibration besides throwing up large debris. In 2009, the Commanding Officer wrote a letter highlighting how the quarrying activities in the area had intensified and were taking place as close as 60 to 70 meters from the fencing of the Air Force Station at some places. They requested the government to stop mining around the radar station.
Apart from this, Latha said the Department of Geology had been approached by the Defence authorities seeking cancellation of the quarrying permit to the lands adjacent to Air Force property. It has been alleged the quarry owners have repeatedly intruded into the prohibited area, spanning 100 meters, from the perimeter fencing or wall of the Air Force Station. She said no action has been taken by the Defence authorities since 2013 to curb the illegal activities.
In the representation, she raised suspicions about the migrant labourers working in the quarry located very close to the defence establishments. “I have seen see a few of them using very sophisticated mobile phones which look similar to satellite phones. Some of them were seen using sign languages and communicating in a strange language with each other. I have also seen cryptic letters in the quarrying field located very near to my house and the defence area,” she said in the representation.
“An investigation by an appropriate agency is needed to unearth the anti-national elements at Mukkunnimala. A combing operation should be carried out to find the explosives kept in the vicinity of the defence establishments and unearth suspicious devices and equipment used in the quarry,” she said. When contacted, Latha said she will make a representation to the Prime Minister, Defence Minister, Home Minister, RAW, the three defence chiefs, Military Intelligence, Defence Estates, Intelligence Bureau and National Investigation Agency among others.