It has been 13 days since the people of Mundathadam village in Kasargode district are up in arms against a quarry for its ‘hazardous environmental impact’.
The day and night agitation also opposes a proposed crusher at the quarry, for the residents fear that once it’s also functional it would hit their daily life even more badly.
Mundathadam is located in Perappa in Kinanoor-Karinthalam panchayat in Kerala’s northern-most district. There is a tribal colony near the quarry where 40 families live. Perappa ward member Radha Vijayan is leading the agitation.
Why the agitation now?
The quarry has been functioning for six years now.
“Yes, we villagers had opposed it back then too. But 30 people were hired to work at the quarry, which was a big solace for the locals who are daily wage workers. Also the quarry owner had threatened the villagers, which forced many to step back. Still wherever the quarry operations hit them and the environment, they raised objections. Every time we objected the quarry would reduce the volume of work, but only for a short time,” Radha tells TNM.
According to her, the locals never used to have scarcity of drinking water in the past. “The quarry operations have increased in the last two years, causing cracks on at least seven houses in the neighbourhood. Also our water sources and wells have either dried up or been contaminated due to the explosives the quarry uses for blasting rocks. Last year we faced drinking water shortage for the first time. Now that permission has been given for a crusher too, it will make things worse for the locals. It will affect more houses and cause more harm to the environment,” she adds.
In September 2018 too the villagers had organised a protest against the quarry. “But at that time also we couldn’t move forward because the quarry owners claimed that they have clearance from the Mining and Geology department. Though I wonder how a quarry functioning at the border of a forest got clearance,” Radha says. She also blames the panchayat administration for not listening to the people’s pleas.
The panchayat is ruled by the CPI(M). Radha is a CPI(M) ward member. Revenue Minister E Chandrasekharan visited the quarry a couple of days ago. Though the locals blame him for not visiting the protest venue, the authorities explained it saying it was informed in advance that he would not be visiting the venue.
Recently the villagers blocked a lorry carrying explosives for the quarry, which led to a clash with the police who, the protesters allege, ended up assaulting them.
Panchayat denies allegations
Kinanoor-Karinthalam panchayat president V Vidhu Bala tells TNM that the permission for the quarry was given in 2013, two years before the present panchayat administration came to power.
“The protesters have never communicated to us, either verbally or in writing, any opposition to the quarry. Instead they began the protest one fine morning, which ismysterious. The quarry owner has got clearance from the Mining and Geology department. He has submitted an application with the panchayat for permission to install a machine at the crusher, which we haven’t granted,” she says.
The quarry owner had approached the panchayat for approval for a fresh quarry but it has been denied, Vidhu Bala adds.
“He has moved court against us for that. We have now approached the Disaster Management Authority and Biodiversity Board to conduct an environmental impact assessment study of the quarry. If the report proves any environmental impact, we will definitely move against the quarry. We value the life of people – be it tribals or others. But how the issue has been politicised, with the BJP supporting it, as well as how outsiders misled the locals and even hijacked the protest should be examined,” she says.