Vadakkencherry: The construction of a road to the site of a soon-to-be-opened quarry at Pothappara was halted by local residents. The attempt to carve out the access road by demolishing a large hill was blocked by a joint protest committee led by Panchayat member Ambily Mohandas.

Protesters strongly opposed the quarry's opening, stating that it violates existing norms. The quarry lies dangerously close to several houses and places of worship in the Kanakkanthuruthy, Pothappara, Chakkundu, and Chuvatupadam areas. They also pointed out that the nearest house is less than 50 metres away from the site.

Residents raised serious concerns about quarrying activity on steep rocky terrain, warning that it could trigger soil erosion, worsen dust pollution, deplete drinking water sources, and damage nearby houses. As the protest intensified, officials from the Vadakkancherry police and village office arrived at the scene and held talks with the residents. However, no resolution was reached.

The area already hosts a private crusher unit and a ready-mix plant catering to National Highway construction. Another quarry that operated in the vicinity was recently forced to shut down due to strong public opposition. The constant movement of heavy vehicles has significantly worsened the dust problem, particularly for houses along the roadside. The issue has become so severe that some families have been forced to relocate.

According to George Mundakkal, granting permission for three more quarries would completely disrupt life in the region. Protest Council Secretary Shibu John, Treasurer Aby K Xavier, Albert Thaimattom, Dhaneesh Damodaran, S Arun, Ajeesh Varghese, M P Manoj, and others led the protest.