KASARAGOD | August 02, 2017:

Protest is mounting against a proposal for bauxite and clay mining at Kadaladipara in Kinanoor-Karinthalam panchayat in Kasaragod district.

The district administration will conduct a hearing at Neeleshwaram on Saturday to elicit people’s opinion on the proposal.

An all-party action committee has opposed the move to lease out over 200 acres at Kadaladipara to Ashapura Mining, a private firm based in Mumbai.

The committee also protested against the move to hold the hearing at Neeleshwaram, about 30 km from the proposed site of mining.

“The people are united in opposing the proposal. A Detailed Project Report prepared in 2007 warned that mining in the thickly populated area would have serious ecological implications,” A. Vidhubala, Kinanoor-Karinthalam grama panchayat president told The Hindu on Wednesday.

“We doubt the sanctity of the public hearing held at a place over 30 km from the proposed mining site. The authorities could have held the hearing in the panchayat limits,” Ms. Vidhubala, a CPI(M) leader said.

The proposed site had been earmarked for a solar park by the administration earlier. “It is baffling why such a project is being shelved to facilitate a mining project that will lead to serious ecological imbalances,” she said, adding that the Payaswini river originated about four km from the locality.

“We have decided to make our stance loud and clear at the public hearing chaired by the Collector,” Ms. Vidhubala said.

There had been protests against moves to commence mining by a public sector firm earlier, she said.

Collector K. Jeevanbabu said the hearing at Neeleshwaram was being held as per a directive of the Kerala High Court and the administration would submit its report to the authorities concerned after taking public sentiments into account.

(Source: http://www.thehindu.com/)