In an attempt to tackle the unbridled denuding of hills of the Western Ghats in the Neyyattinkara region, the police late Saturday arrested eight persons on the charge of resorting to mining activity at two spots in the area.
Five tipper lorries and two earthmovers too were seized in the two-phase crackdown.
The action was led by N. Jayakumar, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Dy.SP), Neyyattinkara.
The process was initiated early in the day when three people were reportedly caught red-handed mining in the Kunnathukal region. One earthmover and a mini-tipper lorry were seized.
Later, Mr. Jayakumar and his team got a tip-off that mining was on under the cover of darkness in the Kudappanamoodu-Kallimoola region. In a late-night raid, the police seized another earthmover, four tipper lorries, and arrested five persons.
Mining had been going on for long in the region. Sources said the mafia was strong enough to prevent people from lodging complaints. Allegations of a nexus between political leaders, the police, and the mafia had also been doing the rounds for quite some time.
Local people complained that calls to local police stations on illegal mining never evoked a response.
Mining had led to severe water shortage, landslides, and other environmental issues in the region, as per complaints lodged with the police.
Mr. Jayakumar said the mining, supplemented by filling up of paddy fields and wetland areas, was being carried out without mandatory environmental clearances, or passes from the Geology Department or the local panchayat. Those arrested on Saturday included the owners of the land where the mining was on, with two crime cases being registered against the eight persons held.
Those arrested were identified as Jayachandran of Kunnathukal, Senthil of Edakode, Shaji, Ratheesh Kumar of Vellarada, Prasannan, Pramod, alias Thanku, Vimal of Ottasekharamangalam, and Vineeth.
Owners of plots where mining was on held
Action on the basis of tip-off received by police
