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: Agitation to be Intensified

The relentless struggle against quarrying  in Mookkunimala has gained momentum with the people in the Pallichal Panchayat firm for the closure of the quarries, which has been causing environmental and health hazards. The residents in the Panchayat for the last many months have been in continuous struggle even as the panchayat authorities maintain that quarrying can be stopped once the departments of Mining and Geology, Pollution Control Board and Revenue stops giving license for the quarries.

Though the Mookkunnimala Samrakshana Samithi (MSS) has been staging a protest for the last many years,  they have deiced to go for a widespread agitation, including a sit -in  in front of the secretariat until the quarry units are shut down. They had staged asit-in in front of the  Panchayat office in the first week of this month, demanding revocation of licences renewed to quarrying units.

Some of the Samithi leaders had even boycotted the Lok Sabha elections.  Stating that they were for the closure of the quarries, MSS convenor Nanappan Nair said that the struggle would continue till the last quarry stopped its activities. ''Almost 70 per cent of the hill is gone. It is high time that the remaining hill is protected,'' he said.

Source: The New Indian Express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/259109/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/18-04-2014#page/17/1