Mookunnimala: reports yet to be finalised

The Neyyattinkara Tahalsidar is yet to file a detailed report, including a data bank, on the quarries and crusher units that are functioning in Mookunnimala even though the district administration had given time till April 25 to file the report.

District Collector Biju Prabhakar had on April 16 directed the Neyyattinkara tahsildar to create a data bank of quarry and crusher units at Mookkunnimala, including survey number of lands owned by the Fire and Rescue Services and Defence establishments in the hill.

Though the district administration has given strict directions that there should not be any delay in filing the data and report, it is ten days that the Taluk office is yet to gather all the data. When contacted, Tahalsidar Sam L Sone said that the data is only being collected. ''We are yet to collect and coordinate all the data. The work will be completed and mostly submitted by Tuesday,'' he said.

Apart from the data on total number of quarry and crusher units functioning in the region and also about the land of the Fire Force and Army, the district collector had also asked to furnish details of closed down quarries.

Meanwhile, Prabhakar said that they were for having a comprehensive data on all the land in that area. ''There are abandoned quarries of which data was not available. The entire area should be marked in Litho. It all will take some time,'' he said and added that the process was on.

Source: The New Indnian Express
http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/488448/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/28-04-2015#page/17/1

Mookunnimala: criminal proceedings likely in illegal mining

In the wake of illegal quarry activities continuing in  Mookunnimala even after a ban was imposed by the district administration, various departments have filed reports against the ongoing quarry activities in the hill. It is likely that criminal proceedings will be initiated

against quarry owners in the hill.

The officials of the Vigilance, Mining and Geology Department and Pallichal Village who visited Mookunnimala on Monday prepared a mahazar and report with regard to the ongoing illegal mining activities.

Though the Vigilance team led by Circle Inspector A Rabiyath visited the hill for resuming the Total Station Survey (TSS) that it began last month for assessing the actual quantum of loss incurred due to illegal quarrying activities, they could not continue as all the quarries and crusher units were functioning in the region.

Rabiyath will file a report along with the mahazars before the Superintendent regarding the present situation and the difficulties that they faced in conducting the TSS.  Pallichal Village officer Sivakumar said that he would file a report to the Neyyattinkara Tahalsidar regarding the present situation. ''There are complaints that quarry activities were going in the night. Already a stop memo has been issued to some of the quarries,'' he said. Moreover, the officials of the District Mining and Geology department , Thiruvananthapuram district, said

that a similar report will be filed before the Director.      

Source: the New Indian Express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/455016/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/10-03-2015#page/19/1

Mookunnimala: Quarrying continues despite ban

Throwing to the winds the District Collector's ban orders, quarrying activities at Mookunnimala still continue without any hindrance. A day after prohibitory orders were issued against quarrying and crusher activities, mining activities are still on at Mookkunnimala with a majority of the units functioning on Tuesday and loads of metal being transported out of the hill. Express caught up with a number of loaded trucks coming out of the quarries on Tuesday also.

Coming to know about the drastic violation of orders issued by him, District Collector Biju Prabhakar told Express that the vehicles would be seized if it continues. The Collector said that he will use all his magisterial powers if quarry activities continue in the region. When asked about quarry activities continuing on Tuesday, he said, ''prohibition has already come into effect from Monday itself. But a day is needed to serve the notice and the village officer has been entrusted to serve the notice personally.''

He said that strict action, including seizing of quarries, equipment and vehicles, will be taken if the quarry owners violate the prohibitory orders. Noting that the prohibitory orders were issued on Monday night itself, he said that the Village officer will issue the orders to all the quarry owners by Tuesday evening. The information has been passed on to the City Police commissioner, Rural SP and three Police stations under which the Moookunnimala comes.

The Express while talking to the people at Edacode near Mookunnimala came to know that blasts were heard from the hill from the morning till evening on Tuesday and vehicles carrying the metals were seen going out of the quarries from the morning. They said that much activity was seen in the hills on Tuesday also.

Source: The New Indian Express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/421521/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/21-01-2015#page/17/1

Illegal Quarryng in Mookunnimala: lapses come to the fore

At a time the district administration points out its inability to shut down all the quarries in Mookunnimala, serious lapse on the part of the district authorities and the Commissionerate of Land Revenue has come to the light the delay in implementing the government's order of closing down all the illegal quarries for the last three years.

The government had written about ten official letters from 2012 to the district administration and the Land Revenue Commissioner for cancelling the pattayam (title deed) to the lands given exclusively for  Rubber cultivation and to deposit them with the Land Bank if quarry activities were being conducted in those lands. Though a report has been sought for the last three years, the two offices have been keeping its silence.

The first communication was sent on July 13, 2012 from the Revenue Principal secretary to the district collector and the Commissionerate of Land Revenue regarding cancelling the pattayam and depositing the land in the Land bank if quarry activities were being conducted in the land given exclusively for rubber plantation. Reminders were sent on August 1, 2012 and November 30, 2012. Apart from this, the government had also sent semi official letters in January, May, September and October 2013. In 2014, the same communication was sent in January and February.

The government had sent the communications based on various reports that illegal quarry activities were being done in Mookunnimala in violation of all rules. It should also be noted that the Commissionerate of Land Revenue has not responded to the directions of the Government even when a report from the same office had recommended to the government appropriate action against all the illegal quarries. The report said that the land where illegal quarries was taking place could be taken by the government as it violated the rules. The land was given for ruber cultivation as per the Special Rules for Assignment of Government Lands for Rubber Cultivation Act. It had also mentioned that land was illegally transferred, which could not be done as per the special rules.