Recently, mass protests erupted over allegations that sand is being mined illegally under the guise of dredging to remove accumulated silt from the Korapuzha River, prompting authorities to temporarily halt the project. | Photo credit: K. Ragesh
A high-level meeting chaired by Forest Minister and Elathur MLA AK Saseendran decided not to resume dredging in the Korapuzha river.
After mass protests last month, the authorities temporarily halted the work and appointed an expert committee headed by Assistant Collector S. Mohanapriya to investigate complaints about the project. The committee submitted its report to District Collector Snehil Kumar Singh.
Although authorities were expected to give the green signal to resume dredging, a meeting held on Friday (March 13) decided that work should not resume until further notice.
Mr. Saseendran issued an instruction to the officials of the irrigation department and the contractor.
The region had earlier witnessed a series of protests after residents and political parties alleged that sand was illegally mined on the pretext of dredging to remove accumulated silt and sediment from the Korapuzha River.
Protesters blocked a contract firm from transporting sand from Mattuvayal. Fishermen and residents also dismantled a makeshift bridge built across the Azheekkal canal, which was allegedly used to move sand. They alleged that the company was carrying out “indiscriminate” sand mining without sufficient government oversight.
Residents later prevented an attempt to dump the sludge generated during the removal of sand into a deep pit at Mattuvayal. According to them, the contract stipulated that the sludge generated after soil processing should be removed from the site. However, they alleged that this condition was violated and that there was an attempt to dump waste in Mattuvayal itself.
The dredging work, which is being carried out under the auspices of the Irrigation Department, covers the stretch between the mouth of the Korapuzha River and the Korapuzha Railway Bridge. The work, which started in 2022, aims to remove about two million cubic meters of soil to ensure a smooth flow of water to the sea. Accumulation of silt and sand impedes the movement of fishing boats and causes flooding in the surrounding areas due to reduced river flow. Dredging is carried out at a depth of 3.5 meters below sea level, with a width of 100 to 140 meters, in a section 1600 meters east of the river mouth.
Deputy Disaster Collector S. Sajid, UK Irrigation Department Executive Engineer Girish Kumar and other officials attended the meeting.
Published – 14 March 2026 21:34 IST
