New stir takes shape at Mookkunnimala.

The Hindu: Thiruvanantpuram: Monday, March 30, 2015.

Protest against Pallichal panchayat declaring RTI activist a ‘public nuisance’

The public agitation against quarrying at Mookkunnimala, which had scored a victory of sorts after the District Collector issued stop orders on quarrying in January, is being resumed, this time with issues beyond quarries.

A public meeting held at Edakode, near Mookkunnimala, saw several of the speakers, including environmentalists and social activists, coming down heavily on the recent decision of the Pallichal grama panchayat to declare V.V. Vijitha, an active member of the Mookkunnimala Samara Samithi that is spearheading the agitation, as a ‘public nuisance.’

The panchayat council had recently renewed the Dangerous and Offensive (D&O) trade licence to a private quarrying group, despite standing stop orders from the Collector and directives from the National Green Tribunal, cited by the Collector in his order. It jolted the public again when it decided to declare Ms. Vijitha a ‘public nuisance.’

She had filed before the panchayat several applications invoking the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

The speakers at Sunday’s meeting said such a move was never heard of in the State and expressed concern over the silence of the government on the issue.

The Mookkunnimala Samrakshana Samithi, in a statement here, said the panchayat members had cut across political lines, with 13 UDF members, nine LDF members, and the lone BJP member all joining hands, for the decision against Ms. Vijitha.

“They already showed whose interests they stood for when they openly violated the Collector’s orders, and now, they have joined hands again to take revenge against the samithi and the people here through the decision against Ms. Vijitha,” the statement said.

Ms. Vijitha told The Hindu that she had already petitioned the Home Minister on the issue and was preparing to submit petitions to the Chief Minister and all Ministers concerned. She was also planning to proceed legally against the panchayat’s decision.

She said she had filed around 35 RTI applications, all seeking details on the permissions given to the quarrying firms and related issues, all to expose malpractice and legal violations by the panchayat.