KOCHI: A petition has been filed in the Kerala High Court seeking to prohibit mining of mineral sand at Alappad in Kollam district. K M Husain, a native of Alap-pad, said that the whole of Alappad will be submerged in sea water if protective measures are not taken.
The petition also said the area of Alappad spread in 89.5 square metre had gone down substantially which is fearsome. The panchayat which was once inhabited by 10,000 families has only 5000 families now. Due to the mining by Indian Rare Earths Limited, sea is eating into the village day after day. The fisherfolk families threatened with this mining are not able to go for fishing also.
Though the Mullakkara Ratnakaran MLA led committee had probed extensively into the issue and tabled a report in the Assembly in last February 2 suggesting measures to save the village, no action has been taken on it.
