Cover Story: Suggested preventive measures

PN Unnikrishnan, Superintendent of Police, CBCID, who conducted the enquiry, suggested some preventive steps also to curb the theft of precious minerals. He stressed the need of effective patrolling of the whole coastal area where Karimanal deposits is available. “Pickets and effective patrolling can stop the illicit mining and transportation of Karimanal from Allappuzha district. But there is still complaints from the local public that police is not heeding to their requests. No effective patrolling is also done by the police. …it is a fact that local public have no faith in police due to their inaction. Likewise pickets and patrolling shall be arranged by the District Police chief Kollam to prevent illegal mining from Alappad (within the limits of Karunagappally and Ochira Police Station) and Neendakara and Chavara within the limits of Chavara Police station. Though a lot of trolleys were seized by police, nobody was taken into custody. If police could apprehend somebody, we can find out the person who is behind the mafia operation,” Unnikrishnan says in the report.
He recommended police pickets at Thottilapally Thekkumkara spil way, Pallana Thoppil Mukku, Thrikunnapuzha Jn, Aratupuzha Kallikadu Jn and Valiyaazhikal in Alapuzha district, and at Azhikkal fishing Harbour, Alappadu Pandadarathuruthu, Panmana Jetty and Neendakara Pozhi in Kollam District. He also said that a boat patrolling should be arranged along the coast from Thottappaly to Neendakara with the strength of Coastal Police of Thotappaly. Apart from it the higher police officials, do not take much interest and attention to curb the illicit mining, should be made accountable for it.
The report also suggest that two patrols constituting two teams from Revenue, Geology and Police can be more feasible and effective to check the illicit mining and transportation of beach sand in each district, via road. The enquiry report suggests amendment in Section 22 of the MMDR Act, 1957, which hinders the effective check on illegal mining. The report says that the feasibility of involving section 3 of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act 1984 in the case of collection of sand from public place should also be looked into.