Residents of Mattappally village near Nooranad received relief as authorities temporarily suspended soil excavation from Mattappally Hill. The decision emerged from an all-party meeting led by Agriculture Minister P Prasad in Mavelikkara. The meeting halted mining until the District Collector submits a report, investigating compliance with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) set by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests.
Minister Prasad expressed concern, stating, “Geology Department officials have explained that the documents relating to the SOP are not in the files. Prima facie, they do not appear to have followed the SOP for site visits and inspections.” He directed the collector to address this in the inspection report, raising the issue of SOP non-compliance with the High Court.
The collector was also tasked with highlighting the ecological fragility of the location and assessing potential impacts on drinking water availability and past natural calamities. Future soil excavation decisions in Palamel panchayat by the Geology Department must consider the environmental vulnerability outlined in the report.
The all-party meeting emphasized exploring alternative sites with minimal environmental impact to avoid disruptions to the National Highway project. Attendees included Mavelikkara MP Kodikkunnil Suresh, local MLA Arun Kumar, the District Police Chief, and others.
Earlier, Minister Prasad visited the mining site and criticized police action against residents who protested last week. He noted, “The concerns raised by the people are genuine. There was no need for police to unleash violence on innocent people.” The area witnessed protests as families opposed soil mining, despite a High Court petition. Authorities, initially ignoring the petition, resumed mining under police protection. However, Minister Prasad intervened, leading to the temporary suspension of mining.
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