Kalpetta: Allegations of land grab, illegal quarrying, and official collusion have surfaced in Vengappally, where tribal families claim their property has been encroached upon for a quarry in Ward 6 of the panchayat.

Members of the Karimbaalan community in Vengappally, who allege that quarry owners have seized land they have lived on for generations, have lodged a complaint with Wayanad District Collector D R Meghasree. Karimbaalan Protection Council district president A C Shivashankaran and Bhoomika Charitable Society president M Santhakumari accused three quarry owners of colluding to encroach upon the land in order to ensure the smooth functioning of their unit.

The quarry is located close to a settlement where 20 tribal families live. Community members, who depend on cattle rearing and agriculture for their livelihood, say quarry operations have severely disrupted their lives. According to them, the quarry owners misled them into signing documents under the pretext of providing assistance for agriculture and cattle purchase. In some cases, they were even promised alternative land in exchange for their holdings.

The tribal families also accused the quarry owners of falsely claiming to have obtained approval from the District Collector for the land transaction. They further alleged that the ruling council of Vengappally panchayat colluded in the deal and turned a blind eye to the violation of rules prohibiting quarrying on tribal land.

The community now plans to escalate its grievances by filing complaints with the Chief Minister, the Commission for Scheduled Tribes, and the Human Rights Commission. They have demanded strict action against those behind the alleged land grab and their collaborators.

The petition also seeks the District Collector’s intervention to provide compensation for the damage caused to houses, farming, and livestock, as well as a comprehensive inquiry into all quarry operations within the Vengappally panchayat limits.