Complaints mount over illegal soil excavation under the guise of house construction in Keralam’s Kozhikode
Environmental activists in Kozhikode are reporting widespread illegal soil excavation from hillocks disguised as legitimate house construction projects. Organized groups are allegedly exploiting regulatory loopholes and local official negligence to extract soil for commercial sale in wetland development.
Why it matters
This issue underscores the tension between rapid urban development and environmental protection, highlighting potential corruption in local land-use governance.
Complaints have surfaced from environmental activists against a number of organised groups in Kozhikode district that are allegedly involved in the illegal excavation and removal of soil from hillocks in the name of house construction. The groups are reportedly taking advantage of the recent transfer of certain powers from the Department of Mining and Geology to local self-government institutions to obtain legal clearances for such activities.
Officials of some local bodies have also been accused of overlooking the strict enforcement of rules and favouring unauthorised land development works. Sources said the soil excavated illegally from the hillocks was being sold at exorbitant prices for use in unauthorised land development works in wetlands and paddy fields.
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