Abandoned Quarries in Ernakulam: Hidden Dangers and Safety Measures
Nearly one kilometre from the Seaport-Airport Road, along the Irumpanam-Eroor Road, lies a vast pond almost hidden from public view. Surrounded by overgrown flora and filled with deep stagnant water, the pond masks one of the oldest stone quarries in Kerala's Ernakulam district.
Known locally as the Parakkadavu pond, it is one of nearly 70 abandoned quarries identified by authorities in the district. The pit lake is only partially enclosed by a compound wall, raising safety concerns about similar formations across the area.
“Mining stopped over 40 years ago at this site. Earlier, people used to bathe and wash clothes here. Now, nobody uses it, though there are houses close by,” said Sahadevan, a resident in his seventies. He recalled that children drowned in the pond years ago, but no accidents have occurred recently.
A few kilometres away, Pedikkattu pond at Irumpanam presents a different picture. Smaller in size, it has a well-built compound wall and a safety net. Although a warning board from Thripunithura municipality discourages entry, residents still use it for washing clothes.
Thripunithura municipality has identified only two abandoned quarries, while Thiruvaniyoor grama panchayat leads the district administration's list with 18. Mookkannoor grama panchayat has 12, followed by Varappetty and Parakkadavu panchayats with 10 and 9 respectively. Malayattoor-Neeleeswaram grama panchayat has six such sites.
The district administration is compiling the list to implement safety measures after repeated fatal accidents, including the drowning of a Delhi-based model at the Pettamala quarry pond in Mudakkuzha panchayat in May.
“For abandoned quarries on government land, we will build boundary walls. For those on private property, landowners will be issued notices to construct walls without fail,” said District Collector G. Priyanka.
An official at Mookkannoor panchayat noted the difficulty in identifying and accessing many abandoned quarries. “There could be more sites than we have identified. We are contacting former quarry owners for accurate data. Several sites remain water-filled and overgrown. There have been no recent accidents, but these quarries often pose safety threats,” the official said, adding that people may also use such sites for waste dumping.
Shajimol P.K., a geologist with the Mining and Geology department, explained that most abandoned quarries stopped functioning before 2015 due to lack of mining plans. “Since 2015, clauses for quarry closure have been part of mining plans. Efforts are ongoing to ensure safety around abandoned sites using funds from the District Mineral Foundation,” she added.
