After a year long struggle, the Mookunnimala Samrakshana Samithi,
which is spearheading the agitation against illegal quarries in the hill, has
now hope to rejoice after the Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau exposed the
illegal activities in the hills, accusing 40 persons for alleged fraud and
irregularities in quarry operations.
Stating that it was a major setback to to Pallichal panchayat,
quarry mafia, political parties and many others, Samrakshanan Samithi Joint convenor
Surendra Kumar told express that they would take out a march and hold an
agitation in front of Pallichal Panchayat on Monday, demanding the immediate
arrest of the accused, including Pallichal panchayat president K Rakesh. Apart
from arresting the accused, all their properties should also be seized, he
added.
''After a year of agitation, the truth has at last come out
through a government agency. We have been telling the government and all
authorities concerned that the quarries were functioning illegally. The samithi
has also pointed out that the quarry activities has led to environment
destruction. But there was no one to hear us. But now the VACB has unearthed
irregularities and we hope that the government will at least now take some
steps to save the hill,'' he said.
Pointing out that the agitation will not end with the Vigilance
filing an FIR in the vigilance court, Kumar said that they would continue the
agitation till all the quarry activities were stopped in the hill. On strengthening the agitation, he said that in the second
phase, protest marches will be taken to the house of all the 23 members
of the Panchayat, demanding their cooperation in the agitation. ''The second phase of agitation has already started with a protest
march to the house of Pallichal Panchayat President K Rakesh. In the first week
of January, we will be marching to the houses of all members,'' he said.
Source: The New Indian Express
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