Students show solidarity to anti-quarrying struggle

Alappuzha: A group of students from the Eco Club of Vignana Vilasini High School in Charumood, went to see the granite quarries in Kalanjoor panchayat of Pathanamthitta district in a bid to extend their solidarity with the anti- quarrying struggle that’s been on there for a decade.

According to Rafi Ramnath, coordinator of the Eco Club, almost all houses near the quarries are always hit by broken pieces of rocks. The team found that Injakkal, Muringpara, Pothupara, Karakakuzhi, Anchumukku, Thidi and Elikose villages were the worst-hit. Quarry-ravaged hilly areas like Pothuparamala, Kalliparamala, Inchaparamala, Rakshasanpara and Padaparamala have almost disappeared, all because of the quarrying.

“In this context, we decided to register our protest by joining the action councils in the worst affected places to extend our solidarity with the affected people”, said the students.

“According to official data, the Mining and Geology Department has issued licence to 18 granite quarries in Kalanjoor and Koodal in the panchayat,” said Rafi Ramanath, adding that the Revenue Department was still issuing licence for quarrying on Revenue ‘poromboke' land.

The team found that there were as many as 52 quarries within a 10 sq km area in the panchayat, most of them within a 3-km radius.  Shibimol, a team member said the major concern of the local people was the fall in the water table. Wells were  drying up and people in Kalanjoor were being afflicted by lung ailments.

“The noise pollution created by the crusher units is affecting the students. We will submit complaints to the authorities and ask them to put an end to the quarrying. Our hills and rivers need to be preserved for the next generation and that is the message we need to spread”, she said.