Administrative Intervention Ends Hunger Strike Over Controversial Kannur Laterite Quarry
Residents of the Thoppilayi tribal settlement suspended their 17-day protest following a stop memo from District Collector P. Vishnuraj. The agitation challenged the legality of a mining site located on a sensitive laterite hill.
Key takeaways
- District Collector P. Vishnuraj issued a temporary stop memo for the Kakkanpara quarry after inspectors found a public road within the 50-meter buffer zone.
- Protest convenor P. Bindu and Uru Mooppan P. Aneesh ended their hunger strikes on August 2, 2026, following the administrative intervention.
- Activists allege a private individual used forged documents to acquire land intended for housing the landless under a surplus land scheme.
- The 17-day agitation highlighted threats to the drinking water tank, cremation ground, and homes of 50 Scheduled Tribe families.
District Administration Halts Mining Activities
A nearly three-week standoff in Sreekandapuram municipality concluded on Sunday, August 2, 2026, when Kannur District Collector P. Vishnuraj issued a temporary stop memo against a laterite quarry at Kakkanpara. The administrative order followed a series of petitions from the local Scheduled Tribe community, which alleged the mining operation relied on fabricated documentation to secure permits on surplus land originally designated for landless families.
Human Cost and Public Health Crisis
The suspension of the protest coincided with the termination of a relay hunger strike that saw several participants hospitalized due to failing health. P. Bindu, the protest committee convenor, ended a nine-day fast, while Uru Mooppan P. Aneesh concluded a three-day fast. Their actions followed the hospitalization of previous strikers P. Chandran, M. Remeshan, and E. Shyamala. The Tahsildar arrived at the site on Saturday afternoon to officially deliver the Collector's decree, providing the necessary assurance for the activists to stand down.
Environmental and Regulatory Violations
While the quarry owners initially utilized a High Court order to resume operations under police protection, subsequent investigations by the Department of Mining and Geology revealed significant discrepancies. Inspectors confirmed that a public road exists within the 50-meter buffer zone of the quarry, a violation that served as the primary catalyst for the temporary suspension. The settlement residents highlighted several immediate risks posed by the excavation, including:
- Threats to the structural integrity of a community drinking water tank.
- Encroachment upon a traditional cremation ground and community building.
- Direct hazards to the dwellings of 50 Scheduled Tribe families living on the ecologically sensitive hill.
The conflict traces back to 2023, when initial attempts to establish the quarry were thwarted by local opposition. Although the current agitation is suspended, the protest committee scheduled a public meeting for Monday, August 3, 2026, to determine their long-term strategy for protecting the Thoppilayi settlement.
Source: The Hindu — National
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