The residents of Kunduthodu region in Kavilumpara grama panchayat in the district are living in a state of perpetual fear. When it rains, they fear that the nearby hillock may disappear in a landslip, wiping away all remnants of human life in their village. It is a granite quarry in the nearby Vattippana region that has been giving them nightmares, and the residents have been in protest mode for years now. However, they hope to make a difference through their votes in the forthcoming local body polls.
“It is clear that the public here will not support anyone who speaks in favour of quarrying. Hence, every candidate maintains a clear stand against it,” said Joseph Kanhirathinkal, a former member of the Kavilumpara grama panchayat, who has been in the forefront of the protests. “What we need is freedom from this state of fear that we have been living in for the past decade,” he added.
Like Kavilumpara, a number of other grama panchayats in Kozhikode located within the folds of the Western Ghats face the same plight. The local committees against quarrying have gained enough strength to influence public opinion in the hilly region. However, there is fear that their strength remains incomparable to the power of influential quarry owners.
“We have six quarries in our panchayat. The sound from the quarries is unbearable and so is the dust. Trucks carrying granite loads from the quarries have destroyed our roads. But the public is scared to speak out,” said Gracy Keelath, a member of Koodaranhi grama panchayat, one of the worst-affected local bodies in the district.
“The power of the quarry mafia is such that only those candidates who support them can win the local body polls,” said William Paulose, an environmental activist from Koodaranhi. “Even people who are directly affected by the quarries are forced to vote for those candidates who support the quarries,” he added.
Ever since a massive landslip in 2018, the possibility of more landslips haunts those living in the highlands. There are other concerns too. “The rate of lung cancer is very high in this belt. There are no fishes in our streams as they are all polluted by quarry dust and chemicals,” said Mr. Paulose. “Our only hope is that all politicians and all officials cannot be corrupt. There may be a ray of hope if a good civic body comes to power,” he added.
