Soil extraction resumes at Mattappally in Kerala, residents hit the streets in protest

Residents of Mattappally, Kerala, protested against the resumption of soil extraction from a hillock in Palamel grama panchayat. The contractor restarted mining despite an all-party meeting deciding to suspend it until a report was submitted. The Collector visited the site but has not yet submitted the report. The contractor said they had court permission to extract soil. The Agriculture Minister said authorities couldn't issue a stop memo. Residents fear mining will harm the environment and cause a water shortage. They have filed an appeal in court against the single-Bench order. Protesting residents blocked roads.

Soil extraction by levelling a hillock at Mattappally in Palamel grama panchayat, near Mavelikara, Kerala, resumed on Monday morning forcing residents to hit the roads in protest. The protesters blocked trucks transporting soil extracted from the area.

The contractor restarted the mining despite an all-party meeting chaired by Agriculture Minister P. Prasad on November 16, 2023 decided to suspend soil extraction until District Collector John V. Samuel submitted a detailed report to the Kerala government. The Collector was asked to look into the mining permit issued by the Department of Mining and Geology and whether standard operating procedures were followed at Mattappally. Mr. Samuel who visited the mining site last week has not yet submitted the report.

The contractor said that the government had not issued any stop memo and the soil was removed based on Kerala High Court permission.

Speaking to mediapersons, the Agriculture Minister said that authorities could not issue a stop memo as mining was authorised by the court. Mr. Prasad said that the Collector had been asked to complete the investigation at the earliest and try to convince the court of the ground realities.

On November 10, residents clashed with the police over the removal of soil from Mattappally for the development of the national highway 66. After mining activities resumed two days later, residents, including women and children, blocked roads. The district administration intervened and declared a temporary halt to soil extraction. The all-party meeting decided to continue with the pause on mining.

Residents fear that “indiscriminate” mining would be detrimental to the environment and result in an acute drinking water shortage in the region.

Earlier, the Kerala government and the High Court permitted soil extraction from Mattappally. The residents, however, have filed an appeal in the court challenging the single-Bench order. The move to extract soil before a decision by the High Court’s Division Bench infuriated the residents and resulted in protests.