Kozhikode | Jul 03, 2015: Defying the Revenue Department’s recent order to stop all river sand-mining activities for three years, workers in the unorganised sector have resumed mining activities on the banks of the Chaliyar river. Illegal mining is now in full swing on the regular mining spots at five grama panchayats in the district.
Panchayat authorities and coordination committee of sand mining workers say that the Revenue Department’s order has provoked several workers in the sector as the rule is currently applicable only to Kozhikode district. Sand-mining workers from Malappuram district are enjoying full freedom to continue the mining as usual on the banks of the Chaliyar, they point out. For majority of the workers, the increased reward promised by large-scale construction groups and builders is proving to be the attraction to carry out the illegal mining work during night and early morning. As the scarcity of sand has already hit the construction sector in the district, even small scale builders are paying huge sum to secure the stock.
Though the local vigilance committees are functional in Peruvayal, Perumanna, Olavanna, Mavoor and Feroke panchayats, they rarely pass timely alert to the enforcement wings.
(Source: http://www.thehindu.com/)