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Collector visits soil-mining site

Staff Reporter

Punchakari area is on the brink of an ecological disaster

ANALYSING THE DAMAGE: District Collector N. Ayyappan inspecting a hillock at Punchakari near Thiruvallam on Wednesday following complaints about unauthorised extraction of soil. — Photo: S. Gopakumar

Thiruvananthapuram: The district administration on Wednesday moved to check the unauthorised extraction of laterite soil from the hills in the Punchakari area in Thiruvallam, near here.

Collector N. Ayyappan and Revenue officials visited the site where a hillock was carved up using heavy machinery. This followed complaints from the local people about the environmental impact of mining the hills for soil.

Mr. Ayyappan said the soil-mining activities in the area violated a High Court order. An excavator and a tipper lorry were seized from the spot two days ago. "We decided to inspect the site and assess the situation before taking further action," he said.

Revenue officials said the owner of the plot had secured a conditional sanction from the High Court for construction of a house. "The order specifically states that excavation will be permitted only for the foundation of the proposed building. But over the last two months, almost 90 cents of land were dug up to a depth of 50 feet," Mr. Ayyappan said.

The owner of the plot was directed to produce the building permit and the plan to substantiate his claim.

"We will issue a notice asking him to stop razing the hills or face action," the Collector said. Tahsildar Mohanan Pillai and Public Works Department executive engineer (buildings) Ajith Mohammed were also present at the site.

Local people are up in arms against the illegal earth moving operations, which pose a threat to the inhabitants and the environment in the Thiruvallam area. The region is on the brink of an environmental disaster. Many of the hills have been razed to the ground.

The extraction of soil has also played havoc with the wetland landscape covering the Vellayani Lake and its surroundings.

Over the years, 15 people have died and many more maimed by the explosives used to mine the hills and the consequent landslips. The earth removing operations have severely depleted the ground water resources in the region and caused soil erosion.

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