With Industries Minister E.P. Jayarajan seeking immediate report from the Director of the Mining and Geology Department on the illegal granite quarrying taking place in different parts of Pathanamthitta, the quarry lobby here has reportedly started round-the-clock blasting of rocks in a hurry to quarry maximum quantity of granite.
Annie Achenkunju, former panchayat member who is in the forefront of the public agitation against the granite quarrying at Ponmala, a biodiversity-rich hill near Kozhencherry, says the illegal blasting of rocks at the quarry has badly affected her residential building too situated on the boundary of the controversial quarry.
The Ponmala Nature Protection Council (PNPC) leaders, G.Santhoshkumar and P.G.Pradeepkumar, alleged that splinters of rocks frequently flying into the residential compounds as well as the Siva Temple situated on the boundaries of the quarry has become a frightening affair during the past one week.
Application rejected
Meanwhile, the Thiruvalla Sub Collector, Sriram Venkitaraman, has rejected the application of the quarry operators, seeking assignment of the poromboke land (Survey No. 161/5) that has been encroached upon by them.
The Sub Collector’s report says that the quarry operators have constructed their office building, guards’ room, vehicle shed in the poromboke land.
Ms. Achenkunju and Mr. Santhoshkumar said as many as 200 families are residing in and around Ponmala.
The quarrying has been taking place in revenue poromboke land with the connivance of the mining and geology authorities concerned, they alleged.
They said the inquiry report submitted by the Thoppuzhasserry village officer to the Thiruvalla Revenue Divisional Officer on March 5, 2015, categorically pointed out blatant violation of the mining rules at Ponmala.
The report states that the granite quarrying was taking place at Ponmala after removing 20 to 50 ft. deep thick top layer of fertile soil which was in gross violation of the guidelines that quarrying should be carried only on the open rock, they said.
The village officer's report has further recommended action against the quarry owners, invoking the relevant provisions in the Kerala Land Utilisation Act.
The biodiversity-rich Ponmala stands 1,000 metres above the mean sea-level.
Mr. Santhoshkumar and Ms. Achenkunju said the action council would take up the issue with the Industries Minister soon for immediate action against the quarry owners and the officials concerned.
