Untold story of mining

Kerala is yet to figure in the mining industry map of the country. But two villages in the state are showing characteristics of mining areas in other parts of the country—environmental degradation and conflict.


Sea sand mining by two public sector companies has caused continuous sea surge in Ponaman and Vellanamthurutu villages in Kollam district. Youngsters find it hard to believe that these two villages had extensive paddy fields till 1962. The elders still carry the memory of 1962 sea surge which completely washed away the paddy land.