MANGALAPURAM | Oct 29, 2015: These LSG polls many areas have seen a rise in the number of independent candidates. Many of them are the ones who have been denied a ticket by various parties, but in some cases it is not so. A panchayat on the outskirts of the city is in the news and not for something macabre, the residents here have fielded their own candidates this time! The people here fed up with the decade-old issues pertaining clay mining activities in the area decided to fight the authorities in their own arena. The four candidates are Anitha Lowgy from Veiloor ward, Jahannara Shaji from Valikonam ward, Vasantha from Kottarakkari ward and Deepa Udayan from Veiloor block division. All of them are contesting in the symbol of ‘hut’.
The residents of Mangalapuram are very critical of the way the panchayat authorities dealt with the mining activities, which pose grave threat to their life and property. The candidates have been fielded with the support of Jansakthi Action Council which was formed in 2010 as a forum against clay mining operations.
The problems associated with clay mining is not only affecting Mangalapuram, the two adjoining panchayats Azhoor and Andoorkonam too have been bearing the brunt of the operations being carried out by around nineteen companies including English Indian Clays Limited.
Even after being broached during the various discussions in the council meets of the three panchayats, nothing solid has come forth yet.
Of the three panchayats, Veiloor near Mangalapuram is the worst affected. The debris and dust from the mining activities have forced many of the residents to relocate. Those still living here are plagued by serious health issues including respiratory and infectious diseases, the residents alleged.
B Jayachandran Nair, a resident, said that the mining company has managed to acquire more properties from the nearby residents by offering them prices above the market rates. “Presently, the English Indian Clays Limited has around 14.5 hectares of land. The company has lured the youngsters by offering them jobs. Some residences including mine have been left untouched by the company due to support of the action council,” he said.
Violating Rules
In a GO of 2008, it has been clearly written as “before entering the area under this grant the lessee shall obtain consent of the land owners of free hold land not under their possession or obtain possession of the said land by purchase under Mineral Concession rules,1960”. But the company is least bothered about this instruction and they are allegedly trying to buy out the people by hook or crook. Similarly, in the order, it has been mentioned that the lessee shall obtain the consent of the owners of the residential houses located within 50 metre of the boundary of the area which fall in this land.
(Source: http://www.newindianexpress.com/)