Kerala - Kollam   

Sand mafia ruling the roost in Kunnathur

Staff Reporter

Legislative Committee seeks effective measures to conserve Sasthamcotta and Ashtamudi Lakes

The members of the Legislative Committee on Environment hearing complaints in Kollam on Tuesday.

KOLLAM: Tahsildar of Kunnathur taluk Devadasan Pillai on Tuesday told the Legislative Committee on Environment (LCE) that he was being constantly threatened with dire consequences by the sand mafia based in West Kallada area under the taluk.

This was the main reason why Revenue authorities drew a blank when it came to stopping unauthorised sand-mining activities in the area, Mr. Pillai told LCE members, who pointed out that serious environment problems were being reported from the taluk and sought an explanation from him during a sitting of the committee here.

When asked whether the Revenue authorities had taken any action against the mafia, Mr. Pillai told the committee the he had registered five to six cases against illegal sand-mining. But no further action could be taken. The LCE members asked the Tahasildar to submit a detailed report within a week on the environment situation in Kunnathur Taluk as a result of sand-mining.

The LCE called for strong measures to protect and conserve the Sasthamcotta freshwater lake in Kunnathur Taluk. After the sitting at the District Panchayat Committee Hall here, the committee, led by Rajaji Mathew Thomas, made an on-the-spot inspection of the lake. The other members present were K.V. Abdul Khader, B.D. Devassy, V.D. Sathesan and V. Surendran Pillai. Kunnathur MLA Kovur Kunjumon was also present.

In his introductory address, Mr. Thomas said that the sitting was being held on the basis of several petitions on environment issues received from the district. He said that most of the issues brought to the attention of the committee were serious. But the plight of the Sasthamcotta Lake was one that needed immediate attention.

Environment Protection Coordination Council general convener Odanavattom Vijayaprakash told the committee that issues pertaining to the Ashtamudi Lake too needed immediate attention since it was fast shrinking as result of human intervention. Though the district administration had identified encroachment of 100 acres into the lake, no action was taken.

West Kallada Protection Council member S. Babuji said that at least 400 lorry-loads of sand were being removed from West Kallada every day. He suggested setting up of police pickets in the area.

Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad activist Rajashekaran, said that as a result of encroachment and pollution, the Ashtamudi Lake was shrinking by the day. He blamed lack of coordination by the Government departments concerned to be the major cause for preventing encroachments.

He said that in Thrikovilvattom panchayat vast tracts of paddy fields were being reclaimed for the construction of a private medical college complex.

Sasthamcotta Lake Protection Council convener K. Karunakaran Pillai said that though several measures were announced for the protection of the lake, including the construction of a wall around the lake, nothing was done.

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Sand mafia ruling the roost in Kunnathur

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