Pathanamthitta: The controversial removal of sand from Pampa-Triveni resumed after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan dismissed the forest department’s objections against the same.
Pathanamthitta district collector PM Nooh personally oversaw the operations carried out by invoking the Disaster Management Act.
In all, 146 truckloads of sand were shifted ashore. However, there is no decision on what needs to be done with the sand.
The forest department has not called back its order prohibiting taking the sand outside the forest without its permission.
Kerala Clays and Ceramics Products Ltd, a public sector entity based in Kannur, has been given the contract to remove the sand that got accumulated at Pampa-Triveni during the floods in the last two years.
The forest department, however, has maintained that the area belongs to a forest and that its permission is needed to remove the sand and take it out of the forest premises.
But now the forest department doesn’t want a confrontation given that the chief minister has made known his stance. However, the process to issue the pass to take the sand out has not yet started.
Meanwhile, as the controversy rages, Kerala Clays and Ceramics Products has said it will not remove sand any more. If the sand cannot be sold, it won’t be able to afford the cost, Managing Director S Ashok Kumar said.
The collector had earlier instructed that the sand be stored at either Chakkupalam or Nilakkal till the forest department’s pass is obtained. But, based on the verbal order of the chief secretary, the sand was taken out of the forest to Erumeli without the department's pass. The plan is to store the sand there and then sell it.
Ramesh Chennithala's allegations
The actions of the forest department and the district collector reinforce the opposition’s allegations, opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said.
Chennithala has alleged corruption in the deal as the forest department had issued a notice to contractors saying sand cannot be removed without its permission.
The chief minister stepped into the controversy after forest minister K Raju also objected to the sand being removed. K Raju later clarified that the Forest Department was not against the removal of debris from the river for preventing floods. The order was against the attempt to ferry sand outside the forest without the Centre's permission, he said.
NGT takes suo moto case
The National Green Tribunal has taken a suo motu case based on media reports on the sand dispute and has sought an explanation from the state government. It has asked the state to explain why the Disaster Management Act was invoked to remove the sand.
