A rural school in Kozhikode’s Kattullamala village is facing a huge safety threat from unregulated explosions in a nearby granite quarry. The newly constructed building of Nirmala AUP School in Kayanna panchayat has already developed several cracks on its walls making it tough for the school authorities to even secure the operational permit from the local panchayat.
Since 2018, students here have been going through a harrowing experience because of the alleged apathy of Revenue and Geology departments in looking into their safety concerns. There are 150 students at the school now who are getting ready for the formal reopening of the institution on November 1.
Along with the school, there are nearly 40 houses in the area which have been suffering the impact of frequent explosions. According to local residents, the quarry owners, who managed to secure clearance for their commercial operation, are least bothered about addressing local grievances.
“Though there is an action committee which is actively involved in field-level protests, it is yet to evoke any favourable action from the district-level authorities. We cannot let our students remain in a scary environment,” says a teacher from the school who has already knocked at several doors for a speedy intervention.
Parents-Teachers Association leaders from the school say they have been waiting for a favourable action from the District Collector who can easily visit the location and verify the authenticity of the complaints. “If the quarry is continuing its operations, we will be forced to shift our children from here and it will surely lead to the closure of this institution with 60 years’ history in this remote village,” they add.
Meanwhile, Revenue Department sources say the complaints related to unregulated explosions in the area by various action committees and local residents are currently under the consideration of government panels. Fresh inspections will be conducted at the quarrying site in the wake of the complaints related to students’ safety, they say.
