In a Kerala village, relief for residents begins as the removal of chemically treated soil

Soil contaminated with chemical waste was removed from Eriyad panchayat in Thrissur on Tuesday. | Photo credit: Special arrangement

Removal of soil contaminated by chemical waste from wetlands, ponds and low-lying land in Eriyad panchayat began on Tuesday, offering relief to residents who have been living in mounting anxiety for months.

Several loads of contaminated soil were removed on Tuesday. The meeting chaired by RDO P. Shibu decided to remove the entire material within two days. The costs of operation will be borne by the land owners and intermediaries who arranged the delivery of the soil.

Hazardous chemical waste from the now-defunct Binani Zinc Limited in Ernakulam district was illegally transported and dumped on private land in Eriyadu, a coastal village in Thrissur district, a few months ago. The brokers supplied this toxic material under the guise of ordinary soil to land owners for backfilling.

Densely populated

In Wards 18 and 19 of Eriad, wetlands, ponds and canals covering roughly one acre were reportedly filled with the material as the environmental impact of the process came to the fore. The affected area is densely populated, and the dumping of chemical soil on the site has caused deep concern among residents about its impact on their surroundings and livelihoods.

The Collector initially ordered the removal of soil from the site but to no avail. The RDO held many rounds of meetings involving the panchayat and local people. The landowners subsequently agreed to facilitate the removal of soil. However, Valluran Transports and Supreme Air Products, which were involved in supplying the land, claimed they had no role in the contamination. The RDO made it clear that it could not avoid responsibility, and the two firms later agreed to provide machinery and vehicles for removal.

The RDO also ordered the police to seize vehicles that did not cooperate in the hauling process and use them to transport contaminated soil if statements from landowners and other parties prove their involvement.

Now the removal is done under the supervision of Eriyad panchayat secretary, village official, Pollution Control Board (PCB) representatives and police. The contaminated soil will be taken to land owned by Binani Zinc in Ernakulam, from where the material was brought to Eriad. The PCB had earlier taken samples from the affected sites and ordered the immediate removal of the contaminated soil based on the test results.

More to remove

The PCB officials ordered that the soil be removed from a greater depth than it had already been excavated. The panchayat secretary will issue the required passes while police stations along the transport route will be alerted to ensure that the contaminated material is not diverted elsewhere. Police patrols are also planned.

The decision to remove the material is expected to end months of uncertainty and unrest in the area.

Published – 15 Sep 2026 22:27 IST