Ernakulam tops list of active quarries in Kerala

Kochi: The landslides which killed more than 100 people have rekindled the debate on the impact of reckless quarrying on the state’s unique ecosystem. Though northern districts were the most affected, other regions also face the possible risk of landslides. In fact, Ernakulam district is sitting on the brink of a disaster considering the number of quarries active in the eastern parts of the district.

As per the data available from Kerala Online Mining Permit Awarding Services (Kompas) of the mining and geology department, the district has the most number of quarries in Kerala.


As many as 126 quarries cater to the rising demands of the construction industry from the commercial capital of Kerala while concerns on environmental degradation has taken a backseat.

Interestingly, the district officials of the mining and geology department have been receiving complaints against mass quarrying. It has received 144 complaints in three months, from April 1 to June-end this year.

Most of the quarries function in Kunnathunadu and Muvattupuzha taluks and some panchayats like Maneed and Vengola have three to four active quarries.

Vengoor panchayat, which already has five quarries, has received an application to start one more quarry . Of the 126 active quarries in the district leased out by the state government, 39 are on up to one-hectare of land each. The extracted area of the rest of the quarries come to up to 12 hectares each. The authorities have data on only the active quarries in the district. As per a study by the Kerala Forest Research Institute as there were as many as 774 quarries distributed across 1261.13 hectares in the district in 2014–15.

Currently, the district committee, which gives clearance for quarries, does not give environment clearance to quarries following the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directive to the government to disband the committee. For the past seven months, the state environment impact assessment authorities have been providing the clearances.

“We don’t have virgin areas now for mining quarries. The people who applied for the licence for a new quarry at Vengoor said the land is not cultivable. But on the other hand, what will we do when there is shortage for construction materials,” said a geologist.

Either minor landslides or cracks on earth have been reported during heavy rain from Neriamangalam, Ayyampuzha, Thrikalathur and Mazhuvannur areas, all in the eastern part of the district. Minor landslides were reported in the forest in Kuttampuzha area forcing Geological Survey of India (GSI) officials to send out a team to examine the spot.

“Our development parameter is based on GDP, which results in generating only carbon footprint. Instead, the government should focus on sustainable development and ecological governance. There were around 670 quarries in Ernakulam 10 years ago and now their numbers have come down. Government gives permission to operate quarries based on environment impact assessment reports. But issuing such a report is not a justification to damage our environment. Our infrastructure development should look at alternative methods instead to continuing with conventional methods,” said John Perumvanthanam, environmentalist.