Residents of the small hamlet of Chayalode situated in the foothills of the environmentally sensitive Pulipparamala in Enadimangalam grama panchayat in Adoor taluk have decided to boycott the ensuing general elections.
The villagers, under the aegis of the Chayalode Janakeeya Samiti (CJS), have started displaying posters at the entrance of their homes, denying entry to politicians engaged in poll campaign, to protest against the alleged indifferent attitude of various parties towards their agitation against the move to start granite quarrying at Pulimalappara.“We have lost faith in politicians who have deceived hapless villagers of Chayalode,” says K.G.Rajan, samiti secretary.
Walls of as many as 150 households at Chayalode have sported a poster at their entrance itself, saying a ‘No entry to election campaigners’.
Lijin K.Eapen, samiti spokesperson; P.K.Thomas, convener; Ajeesh George, Sheena Rajan, Lissie Eapen, Samuel Mathew, and Samuel Baby, office-bearers, said the villagers have decided to intensify the agitation against the proposed granite quarry at Pulimalappara.
Mr. Eapen told The Hindu that, with the onset of summer, Pulimalappara and surrounding areas have been reeling under acute drinking water scarcity.
He said there were even attempts by the politician-quarry lobby nexus to create communal problems in the otherwise peaceful village to divert public attention from the core environmental issue. The sad part is that even the grama panchayat too backed the quarry lobby who have managed to obtain various clearances for quarrying through the backdoor, samiti leaders alleged.
The janakeeya samiti has already moved the Kerala High Court against the permission granted by the panchayat and the Mining and Geology Department for granite quarrying at Pulimalappara, they said.
Cancellation sought
The samiti leaders demanded immediate cancellation of various clearances granted for granite quarrying at Pulimalappara.
