Wayanad: The State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) has directed the District Collector to ensure that granite quarries in the district operate according to the recommendations of the expert panel appointed after the Wayanad landslides. 

The Commission also emphasised the need for strict action against illegal quarrying in the area. KSHRC judicial member K Baijunath instructed the District collector to address public concerns regarding the issue.

However, the collector informed the KSHRC that quarrying activities in the district had been suspended for the time being.

The order followed a complaint lodged with the KSHRC by residents of various wards in Mullankolly panchayat. In response, the district collector informed the Commission that an expert panel had been appointed to assess the quarries' operations in the panchayat. 

The collector also stated that all mandatory permissions for the quarries had been granted and that the land on which the quarries operate is not part of any ecologically sensitive zones. The District Administration also received continuous complaints from the public about illegal quarrying. 

The order was issued based on complaints from Adv P D Saji, Shyju Panjithoppil, Pushpalatha Narayanan, Shijo Maplassery, and P K Jose. The Mullankolly village panchayat has seen a series of protests against illegal quarrying, which led to the temporary closure of some quarries several months ago.