The Hindu: Kerala: Thursday, August 10, 2017.
Residents in
the rural reaches of Thengeli-Kolabhagom in Thiruvalla taluk are a distressed
lot. Indiscriminate sand extraction from this environmentally fragile
floodplain area of the Manimala river over the past five years has polluted
their wells, besides forming large and dangerous waterlogged pits near their houses.
The sand
extraction, using heavy pumping system and sieves, continues unabated despite
protests by a people’s forum (Janakeeya Samiti), says samiti leader E.K. Mony,
alias Bennichan.
Despite
repeated pleas against underground sand extraction from the residential area,
the Mining and Geology Department and various other government agencies have
permitted the practice, alleges Mr. Mony.
He said the
forum had got ample proof, through the RTI Act, to expose the official-land
lobby nexus that led to granting of permission for the environmentally
destructive activity.
He alleged
that the Environment Clearance (EC) given by the district-level Environment
Impact Assessment Authority (DEIAA) for sand extraction from the plains was a
testimony to the anti-environment and anti-people attitude of the agency.
The latest
Environment Clearance signed on February 1 by the Adoor Revenue Divisional
Officer, who is also the DEIAA Member Secretary, states that “clearance has
been given for quarrying ordinary sand from 26.75 ares of land in Kuttoor
village in Thiruvalla taluk,” subject to certain conditions and that too after
conducting a site inspection by himself and the Geologist.
The
conditions say that “top soil of one metre shall be kept at the site itself for
refilling and restoration purpose” and “the maximum pit size shall not exceed
2.2 metres (1-m top layer plus 1.2 m sandy layer).” The DEIAA further fixes the
total quantity of sand to be extracted at 3,037 metric tonne.
Using pump
sets
Mr. Mony
alleged that the sand lobby had extracted huge quantities of ordinary sand from
underground, using pump sets. The authorities had failed to monitor the sand
extraction, he alleged.
Mr. Mony said
the land lobby obtained clearance stating that they wanted to replace the sand
with fertile soil for farming purpose. Ironically, the officials who inspected
the site had conveniently ‘missed’ the vegetable farm bordering the plot. The
adjoining farm had even won the best farm award of the panchayat, he said.
The
indiscriminate sand extraction had converted the otherwise fertile land into a
large lake, he said. Local residents fear that the extraction of sand using
heavy pump sets might have squeezed the underground sand from beneath their
residential buildings too.
The forum
leader alleged that the memorandum submitted to the district authorities too
appeared to have fell on deaf ears.
.JPG)
.JPG)
