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Sand-mining workers’ appeal to government

MALAPPURAM: Sand-mining labourers of the Tavanur grama panchayat in Malappuram have appealed to District Collector M.C. Mohandas to restore the quantity limit of the sand they can collect from the Bharatapuzha to 12,850 metric tonnes.

In a memorandum submitted through the president of the panchayat, the labourers claimed that the reduction of the sand ceiling from 12,850 metric tonnes to 6,275 had affected them adversely.

They said the move by the revenue authorities had deprived them of their employment.

They said each of the recognised 310 employees in the Tavanur grama panchayat would get only two weeks’ employment a month with the new limit of sand to be mined.

At present, a worker would fetch a maximum wage of only Rs.2,530 a month, they said.

They pointed out that the neighbouring Tirunavaya panchayat, where 168 recognised labourers are engaged in mining, had an allotted tonnage of 6,200.

The sand-mining workers said even if the old ceiling of 12,850 tonnes was restored, a labourer would fetch only Rs.5,000 a month, which would be inadequate for a large family.

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