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Save mookinnimala Protesters from jail on 24-11-2014 ..

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Vigilance to Submit Report by Month-end, Says Official

Vigilance to Submit Report by Month-end, Says Official

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB), which had initiated a probe into the illegal quarries at Mookkunnimala, will submit its report by the end of this month. The inspection of the remaining quarries that was stopped in between because of incessant rains will be resumed this week, after which a comprehensive report will be filed.

Vigilance had inspected as many as 24 quarries during its raid on August 8. ‘’We will resume the inspection this week itself. It was only because of adverse weather conditions that we could not complete the inspection last week,’’  Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau SP E Sharafudeen said.

He also pointed out that they had only inspected the regions where quarries were functioning with proper licence. ‘’There are many more quarries that have to be inspected. A comprehensive report will be filed once the inspection is complete,’’ he said.

Sharafudeen also said that the service of geologists and Revenue officials was needed to ascertain the actual damage that has been caused to the hill because of illegal quarrying activities.

In the raids that were conducted last week, it is known that the Vigilance had found serious irregularities. Most of the quarries that were raided did not have a valid licence. As per official records, only nine quarries and five crusher units function in the area. But more than 60 quarries are said to be illegally functioning there.

Earlier, the Vigilance, that had conducted an inspection at Pallichal panchayat office, had raised doubts about the genuineness of the documents. They had found out various irregularities in giving permit to the quarries.

source : The New Indian Express

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To stand up against quarries, they stage sit-in - The Hindu

To stand up against quarries, they stage sit-in - The Hindu

Over 400 residents of the Pallichal grama panchayat on Wednesday staged a daylong sit-in in front of the panchayat office at Pallichal, demanding that the panchayat revoke the quarrying licences that were renewed this week for five quarries and two crusher units in the area.

The residents, who had staged a protest and submitted a memorandum on March 7 demanding that the licences of these units not be renewed, citing environmental and health hazards caused by the quarrying and allied activities on Mookunnimala, were furious that their demands were ignored totally.

Blockade of lorries

They declared that from Thursday, they would not allow movement of lorries of the quarry or crusher units in their panchayat.

The residents repeated their concerns over the unabated quarrying on the Mookunnimala, pointing out that apart from the blasting and other quarrying activities that were affecting the environment, the round-the-clock operation of hundreds of lorries through the panchayat was causing more than mere inconvenience to the locality.

They alleged that when they submitted the memorandum to the panchayat authorities on March 7, they had replied in writing that they were convinced of the issues and that they would approach the District Collector to initiate necessary measures. Despite that assurance, the licences were renewed, which forced them to stage the protest on Wednesday.

Several environmental activists from various organisations declared their support to the campaign taken up by the residents of Pallichal and participated in the protest.

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