I began writing this blog post inspired by a photograph that captures two faces of my hometown, Mukkam. On one hand, it’s a source of pride, showcasing the natural beauty of the land. On the other, it’s a reminder of the devastation, visible in the long view. When Mr. Nisar shared the post below on Facebook, I found myself torn between two emotions — should I give it a heart or a sad face?

His timeline Post “On Earth Day, Let the topic be my Village. One side increasing the level of Pond for agriculture that makes land beautiful and other side half of hills destroyed with in 6 months. within a year it will disappear from there and we can add it in History”

My state, Kerala, is often referred to as “God’s Own Country” because of its stunning landscapes. However, it’s heartbreaking to see that Keralites themselves have started calling it “Devil’s Land” due to the greed of a few people destroying our natural resources. While Gulf countries are focusing on beautifying their landscapes, we are here, destroying nature. What a paradox! Just yesterday, I saw people cutting down a giant shade tree at Mukkam Market. The question is, will they plant another shade tree to replace it? I don’t think so.

Mr. Nisar, a wildlife photographer from my village, often posts pictures of the activities happening here on his Facebook timeline. When I was in Qatar, I saw one of his photos exposing illegal sand mining in our area. Recently, I heard from my relative, Faheem, that Mr. Nisar received threats because of his sand mining photo. Despite this, he continues his social responsibility as a photographer. Kerala may be the most literate state in India (93.91% literacy rate as of the 2011 Census), but it’s surprising that people are not reacting to this environmental theft. One reason for this is fear of the mafia, but even that remains largely invisible in public.

Sand mining and stone quarrying are problems that only certain groups or political parties can address — and the whole village may get involved in that cause. Unfortunately, the political parties stay silent because they receive substantial funds from those involved in such activities. I had an experience of my own three years ago. I was a member of a party (not a political one) focused solely on helping people. When it came time to collect funds, one of the members suggested we get money from a quarry owner. I refused, stating that if we accepted their money, we would later have to obey them.

I’m sure you all know how the destruction of hills and illegal sand mining affect us. It’s scientifically proven that mountains act as the earth’s pillars, balancing the ecosystem. When they collapse, they can trigger massive earthquakes. Sand mining also leads to the degradation of rivers. Instream mining lowers the stream bed, which in turn leads to riverbank erosion. The Bharathapuzha River, in particular, has suffered greatly from sand mining. I don’t need to explain how the lack of water in our rivers affects all aspects of life. We only learn our lesson when the river disappears, and by then, it’s often too late. Until then, most people remain silent.

Here in Kerala, with the Legislative Assembly elections coming up in a month, a party member came to my home asking for my membership. My main concern has always been the preservation of natural resources, so I asked them what their party has done about sand mining and stone quarrying in my area. They told me their party had worked on this issue in other parts of Kerala (though I’m not sure if that’s true). What I wanted to know was what they had done in my area to stop this theft. When things are happening right in front of them, why don’t they act to stop it?

I remember a strike that took place a year ago when I was abroad, protesting against the quarry owners. I learned about it through a WhatsApp group. After a few days, the group posted that the strike had been a success. When I asked the group admin if they had stopped the stone breaking, he told me that the strike was actually to ensure local lorry drivers got jobs transporting the stones (since they had previously been given to outside drivers). I felt pity. The villagers were digging their own graves.

Above mentioned Quarry (a place, typically a large, deep pit, from which stone or other materials are or have been extracted)

I would also like to express my gratitude to a true “one-man army,” Mr. Binu, who stood up against a quarry in TekkinKutti. Despite being offered cash and receiving death threats from the quarry owner, he did not back down. Thanks to his courage, the quarry was closed legally. Only someone with true courage could accomplish something like this.

This summer, the heat is increasing drastically. My village is home to beautiful trees, rivers, mountains, and waterfalls, yet the rate of environmental destruction is accelerating. All of our activities contribute to global warming. Some may argue that even if we stop, others will continue, but remember — individuals form a group. There are also other significant factors affecting global warming, one of the major ones being the burning of plastic. It’s extremely dangerous.

Please try to reduce plastic usage by carrying cloth bags. My family and I have made it a habit to always keep cloth bags in our vehicles, and we encourage others to do the same.

I dedicate this line to the greedy people who are destroying our natural resources:
“ONLY WHEN THE LAST TREE HAS DIED, THE LAST RIVER HAS BEEN POISONED, AND THE LAST FISH HAS BEEN CAUGHT, WILL WE REALIZE THAT WE CANNOT EAT MONEY.”

by Niyaz Kannanchery