Koorumala rock sand unit: crucial meeting today
Renu Ramanath
People fear major impact on environment
KOCHI: The residents of Koorumala in Elanji panchayat are waiting with bated breath for the decision of the panchayat committee to be held on Wednesday on the issue of giving permission to the controversial rock sand-mining unit.
The fight of the Koorumala residents against a proposed rock sand-mining unit coming on top of Koorumala, the highest point in Elanji panchayat in Ernakulam district, had met with a temporary success last December as the Tribunal for Local Self-Government Institutions had set aside the former panchayat committee's decision to grant provisional no-objection certificate (NOC) to the controversial firm.
The tribunal had also ordered the Panchayat Secretary to stop the construction work of the factory building based on an NOC granted by the Secretary on August 22, 2005. Following this, a memo was issued by the panchayat committee to stop the work.
However, the tribunal had asked the panchayat committee to take fresh decisions on the application filed by Luke Antony Kochery, managing director of Luxury Sand Kerala Private Limited, for operating a granite sand production and metal crusher unit on top of Koorumala after conducting studies by experts.
Following this, the panchayat committee had appointed a three-member expert committee for preparing an environmental impact assessment (EIA) report. The study had been completed and the report was submitted to the panchayat. Mr. Kochery had also submitted a report prepared by an approved geologist.
The panchayat had held hearings for both parties according to the directive of the tribunal, but Mr. Kochery had asked for more time citing that he had not got the copy of the judgement.
The tribunal, in the judgement, had pointed out that the Panchayat Secretary should not have issued the NOC without ensuring that it was not being used for the construction of the factory building. Besides, the tribunal had pointed out, even though the provisions of the Kerala Municipality Building Rules had not been extended to the Elanji panchayat, a factory building cannot be equated with a residential or commercial building.
The Panchayat Secretary had issued NOC stating that sanction from the panchayat was not required for constructing the building in the property, as the provisions of the Kerala Building Rules Act had not been implemented in Elanji panchayat. Meanwhile, another organisation, Kooru Samrakshana Samithi, had filed a case with the Kerala High Court demanding ban on the activities of other quarrying units functioning in the nearby localities.
Mr. Kochery had submitted an application with the Elanji panchayat committee for starting a rubber-processing unit in the panchayat.
(The Hindu-25/01/06, Wednesday)
Renu Ramanath
People fear major impact on environment
KOCHI: The residents of Koorumala in Elanji panchayat are waiting with bated breath for the decision of the panchayat committee to be held on Wednesday on the issue of giving permission to the controversial rock sand-mining unit.
The fight of the Koorumala residents against a proposed rock sand-mining unit coming on top of Koorumala, the highest point in Elanji panchayat in Ernakulam district, had met with a temporary success last December as the Tribunal for Local Self-Government Institutions had set aside the former panchayat committee's decision to grant provisional no-objection certificate (NOC) to the controversial firm.
The tribunal had also ordered the Panchayat Secretary to stop the construction work of the factory building based on an NOC granted by the Secretary on August 22, 2005. Following this, a memo was issued by the panchayat committee to stop the work.
However, the tribunal had asked the panchayat committee to take fresh decisions on the application filed by Luke Antony Kochery, managing director of Luxury Sand Kerala Private Limited, for operating a granite sand production and metal crusher unit on top of Koorumala after conducting studies by experts.
Following this, the panchayat committee had appointed a three-member expert committee for preparing an environmental impact assessment (EIA) report. The study had been completed and the report was submitted to the panchayat. Mr. Kochery had also submitted a report prepared by an approved geologist.
The panchayat had held hearings for both parties according to the directive of the tribunal, but Mr. Kochery had asked for more time citing that he had not got the copy of the judgement.
The tribunal, in the judgement, had pointed out that the Panchayat Secretary should not have issued the NOC without ensuring that it was not being used for the construction of the factory building. Besides, the tribunal had pointed out, even though the provisions of the Kerala Municipality Building Rules had not been extended to the Elanji panchayat, a factory building cannot be equated with a residential or commercial building.
The Panchayat Secretary had issued NOC stating that sanction from the panchayat was not required for constructing the building in the property, as the provisions of the Kerala Building Rules Act had not been implemented in Elanji panchayat. Meanwhile, another organisation, Kooru Samrakshana Samithi, had filed a case with the Kerala High Court demanding ban on the activities of other quarrying units functioning in the nearby localities.
Mr. Kochery had submitted an application with the Elanji panchayat committee for starting a rubber-processing unit in the panchayat.
(The Hindu-25/01/06, Wednesday)
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