Plywood Factory Plan On 30-Acre Hill Triggers Protest In Ernakulam's Pallarimangalam, Villagers Fear For Existence

Ernakulam, Kerala: A 30-acre hill in the Adivadu region of Kothamangalam in Ernakulam has become the centre of a fierce public protest after a plan to establish a proposed plywood factory in the area. Making the hill and its surrounding areas under threat, the proposed project has prompted villagers to fight, noting the threat to their environment, water resources and very existence. 

One of the highest points in the area, the hill – currently a rubber estate owned by private individuals – is surrounded by houses on three sides and a century-old school with thousands of students. The issue began three years ago when 12 acres of the land, owned by a man named Thomas, was sold to a plywood company for a factory project. Since then, villagers have been fighting the move, saying it will destroy their homes, water and the environment.

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The legal fight that started in the lower court is now in the High Court. The court had allowed the company to carry out limited levelling work. However, residents allege the company has violated that condition.

Speaking to Timeline, Anwar Sadath, a resident in the area, pointed out that the factory management  have removed soil up to 30 feet and flattened a large portion of the hill, violating the court limit. He also cautioned that the indiscriminate soil removal has increased the risk of landslides in the densely populated area.

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The biggest worry of the villagers, according to Sadath, is the water contamination. The area is already facing severe scarcity and the panchayat and block panchayat had planned a joint drinking water project near the hill. Villagers say that if the factory becomes operational, this project could also be affected.

Notably, at the lower slops of the hill lies a 1.5-acre traditional reservoir, locally known as a ‘Chira’. For decades, rainwater from the hill has fed this water body. The Chira, a small stream, has served as a major drinking water source for hundreds of families for decades.

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At the foothills lies a 1.5-acre traditional reservoir, locally known as a ‘Chira’. For decades, rainwater from the hill has fed this water body, a lifeline for drinking water for hundreds of families. Villagers fear industrial waste from the factory will contaminate the Chira and nearby wells and groundwater.

In addition to this, air pollution and health risks in connection with the waste piled up from the factory also worry the locality. Residents are concerned that if the factory comes up, it will change the identity of the entire village forever, and they are determined to fight against the establishment of the plywood factory project in the area.