Minister for Cooperation G. Sudhakaran has called for stopping all mining operations in the south-eastern areas of Alappuzha district.
In a letter to Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, the Minister urged that experts should be deputed for an environmental impact assessment in the area. Mr. Sudhakaran wrote to the Chief Minister following a memorandum received by him from president of Palamel panchayat S. Saji.
An official release said the village panchayat had filed a petition before the High Court against indiscriminate mining of earth, sand, clay and laterite in the area.
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A study conducted by the Centre for Earth Science Studies, Thiruvananthapuram, on a directive from the court had reported deterioration of the environment in areas such as Adikkattukulangara, Mettupuram, Thandanvila, Pulikunnu, Kadamankulam and certain areas of Nooranad, Thamarakkulam, Vallikunnam, Chunakkara and Thazhakara. It had also recommended against mechanised mining.
The release said the mining caused much difficulty to the farmers of the area. Real estate business was flourishing in the area at the expense of paddy fields and water bodies.