The Hindu : Sand mining posing threat to new Ranni bridge

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 08, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

Sand mining posing threat to new Ranni bridge

By Radhakrishnan Kuttoor

Illegal quarrying and transportation of sand from the River Pampa in progress at a kadavu about 50 metres downstream of the Ranni bridge in Pathanamthitta district on Saturday.

PATHANAMTHITTA JULY 7. Indiscriminate quarrying of sand from the river Pampa is brisk business in Ranni and surrounding areas despite the ban on river sand mining in the district imposed by the District Collector from July 1.

The people of Ranni, a main trade centre for the hill produce in the eastern hilly tracts of Pathanamthitta were shocked in 1996 when the 36-year old Ranni Bridge linking the twin towns of Ranni-Perumpuzha and Ranni-Ittiyappara caved-in.

The collapse of the Ranni Bridge was also attributed to the indiscriminate sand quarrying from its surrounding areas that ultimately led to large-scale erosion of the sand deposit from the foundation of the bridge piers. A new bridge was constructed within two years, bringing much relief to the people of Ranni.

However, the district administration and the law enforcing agencies appear to have taken an indifferent attitude towards the indiscriminate sand collection from the surrounding areas of the new Ranni Bridge too, posing serious threat to the stability of the concrete structure.

The sand mafia has extended its tentacles to almost all the sand-rich patches of the rivers Pampa, Manimala and Achenkoil in the district.

Sand-filled lorries shrieking through the public roads is a common scene in the roads criss-crossing the river basins of Pampa, Manimala and Achenkoil in the district, making a mockery of the Government proclamation for the strict implementation of the much sought-after River Bank Protection and Sand Mining Act, 2001.

Meanwhile, the workers of various eco groups in the district who oppose the illegal activities on the riverbed have reportedly become the main targets of the sand mafia in many parts of the district. There were reports of attacks on certain eco group workers by the goonda gangs of the sand lords in different parts of the district.

P. B. Suneesh Kumar of Ranni, a member of the Pampa Parirakshana Samithi (PPS), was man-handled and his house was attacked by a group of miscreants allegedly belonged to the sand mafia when the former objected to the illegal quarrying of sand from Pulickal kadavu in river Pampa near Ranni a few weeks ago. It is also alleged that certain panchayat staff too were among those who assaulted the eco group worker.

Mr. Suneesh says that his complaints to the police as well as to the Chief Minister and District Collector in this regard have yielded little result, leaving him further exposed to the threat to his life from the sand mafia.

The local people allege that indiscriminate quarrying of river sand is taking place even from the close vicinity of the bridge, especially under the cover of night.

They have alleged sand quarrying from the Upasana and Perumpuzha kadavus which are very close to the Ranni Bridge in the night hours.

However, many local people are keeping mum against this ravaging of the Pampa riverbed for fear of the sand mafia which enjoys strong patronage from certain quarters in the ruling and opposition parties, the official machinery, local bodies and above all in the law and order machinery.

There were reports that the sand mafia used to clandestinely transport several lorry loads of river sand with the help of a single pass (P-Form) from each kadavu with the alleged connivance of the official machinery, especially the local body authorities.

There were also reports of `quacks' among the environmentalists who have been allegedly `misusing' the name of the eco group for carrying out their clandestine operations. Recently, the Koipram police seized a lorry that reportedly belonged to the office-bearer of a newly formed eco group in Kozhencherry.

Though the law prohibits the entry of motor vehicles into the riverbed, lorries parked on the riverbed to collect sand directly from the country boats and also from the riverbed is a common scene along many stretches of the rivers Pampa, Manimala and Achenkoil in the district.

``It appears that the official machinery and the Government are waiting for yet another tragedy before taking action'' laments an elderly businessman in Ranni.

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