In a first, three more depts confirm illegal quarrying

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The vigilance team probing the illegal quarrying at Mookunnimala has submitted a new report to the vigilance director comprising mahassars filed by officials of the department of geology, survey and revenue wing jointly stating that illegal mining went on at Mookkunnimala against the order of the district administration.
The report assumes significance because of the fact that it is for the first time that departments other than vigilance have pointed out illegal quarrying at Mookkunnimala.When the case was considered last time by the high court, the vigilance was asked to submit more evidence to prove illegal quarrying.
The report accessed by TOI shows clear, first-hand evidence on unlawful quarrying. The mahassars specifically point out violation by Kannanthanam group saying that they had gathered first-hand information that Southern Granite industries owned by Kannanthanam conducted mining activities at places where the activity was banned by the district collector by issuing a stop memo.
It was also pointed out that another quarry owner stacked as much as 1,200 tonnes of granite aggregates in one area and there was clear evidence of fresh mining activities despite the stop memo. This report which will be presented in court provides greater thrust to the findings of the vigilance because it is amply supplemented with concurring reports from other departments as well.
The report also includes findings from the total station survey which has also included sketches of uncontrolled encroachment of quarries into government land. A panchayat road that once measured 13 metres in width is now reduced to a width of 4 metres due to quarrying and encroachment.
A vigilance official associated with the probe said that even the army firing range at Mookkunnimala was encroached. “The area which demands high security has been encroached by quarry owners. This can be ascertained using the sketches prepared during the total station survey,” the official said.
The vigilance has also collected receipts which counter the claims of quarry owners that they have been conducting mining in compliance with norms. A quarry group based in Nemom was slammed a fine of Rs 6.96 lakh by the department of geology in August 2014 for illegal extraction of rock at Mookkunnimala.
The fresh findings, coupled with similar reports by three departments, might go against quarry owners who have been filing petitions at the high court demanding renewal of their licence for quarrying. Kannanthanam group which has been found to have violated the stop memo order and conducted quarrying recently got its dangerous and offensive trade license renewed by the Pallichal panchayat.