Thiruvananthapuram: The 2018 flood that becomes focused, ecological damage in the state-hilly field should be an eye opener for the government but the number shows that he has issued at least 223 new mining permits after a devastating disaster.
In accordance with the data delivered in assembly by the former Industrial Minister E P Jayarajan on October 29, 2019, 223 new mines were given permission in the state after January 2019, until then.
These include 47 fresh mines in Ernakulam, 35 in Palakkad, 32 in Malappuram, 23 each in Kozhikode and Kannur, 16 in Pathanamthitta, 15 in Thiruvananthapuram, 12 in Kotonton, nine in Kottayam, six in Thrissur, two in Idukki and Kasaragod and one at Wayanad.
At present there are 586 official mines that function in the state.
As many as 436 applications for excavation permits have been postponed after the green court appears with orders mandating 200 meters of buffer zones for each mine.
According to the government’s source, there are hundreds of invalid mine functions despite court intervention.
It is also proven from the government’s statement in the assembly which even though several applications are waiting and permits for several mines are revoked, there is no shortage of construction materials in the state.
A report by the experts established committees to examine the causes of heavy rain, floods and landslides, have found changes in the pattern of land use and excavation as the main contributing factor for recurrent natural hazards.
This report refers to the close link between the failure of Hard Rock and the slopes failure in the form of landslides.
The Committee has recommended restrictions on excavation and mining activities in high landslide prone areas and to enforce regulations in low landslide areas.
The numbers of the Mining and Geological Department revealed that the country mine 3.53 crore tons of granite —- the highest quantity —- in 2018-19.
Along with other small minerals, it took the Government Rs 171.28 Crore — a 12.7% increase compared to the previous year.
To bring control of the illegal mine, then the director of the Ministry of Mining and Geology, K Biju, has written to the district police chief to order illegal mines under the section of the explosives, 1884.
Although the Ministry of Ministry and Geology, the Nodal and Geological Agency, The Nodal Agency to provide excavation licenses, is also involved in detecting illegal excavations, the intervention is limited because it does not have enough labor resources to contain illegal activities.