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Hill demolition the bane of Kasaragod

Staff Reporter

`It caused water shortage in Pilikod panchayat during summer'

KASARAGOD: An accident at Majakar, near here, in which ten people were killed at a worksite when earth caved in, is fresh in public memory.

It was lack of a proper mechanism to curb indiscriminate demolition of hills that had caused the accident.

But, the authorities allegedly turn a deaf ear to demolition activity which is rampant in several parts of the district.

The activities in Pilikod panchayat are only a pointer to the demolition menace in the district. This is despite representations made by residents of the panchayat, it is pointed out.

The neighbouring Karivallur panchayat has banned the use of huge machines for hill demolition.

The killing of one person while demolishing a hill at Kanhiramukku had forced the panchayat to impose such a ban. This has inspired people of neighbouring Pilikod to demand a similar ban.

Many hills in different parts of the panchayat have been demolished to pave the way for construction activity.

But, the people of Pilikod demand that the remaining hills at Puthilod, Kodakkad and Edancherry may be preserved to keep the environment intact.

In fact, a section of panchayat residents had prevented the demolition of a hill near Pollapoyi school here recently.

"The impact of hill demolition was evident during summer. We had acute water shortage in the surrounding areas following the demolition of a huge hill formation at Devarukunnu. We will not allow this any more", an activist of Pilikod Paristhithi Samrakshana Samithy said.

What the Samithy demands is an official ban by the panchayat which will give them more power to fight demolition activities.

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