The Hindu : Uranium reserves found in Nalgonda district: Minister

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 19, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Uranium reserves found in Nalgonda district: Minister

By Our Special Correspondent

Hyderabad Feb. 18. Huge reserves of uranium have been struck in Nalgonda district and as per the initial estimates made by experts from the Atomic Minerals Division of the Uranium Corporation of India, the availability of the ore in Peddagattu area of P. A. Palli mandal of the district is of the order of 11.026 tonnes.

Announcing this in the Assembly today, the Minister for Mines and Geology, A. Uma Madhava Reddy, said the Uranium Corporation of India had applied for a mining lease covering Lambabpur and Peddagattu areas and this is being processed. The corporation, she said, wanted to establish a hydro-metallurgical plant for processing the ore. Responding positively on a suggestion given by a BJP member, K. Haribabu, the Minister said that uranium was also seemingly present in the beach sands of Visakhapatnam and this would also be posed for explorations.

A reply also came forth in the House during Question Time regarding the issue of reservation of engineering and medical seats in the State for candidates from the Andaman and Nicobar islands. But, it was negative. The Minister for Technical Education, N. Anjaneyulu, ruled out such a benefit even to the children of the 70,000-odd Telugu families from Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts living in the islands unless the Presidential order covering the matter was amended. Two members, one from Telugu Desam and the other from the Congress, A. Prabhakar Reddy and R. Changa Reddy, who visited the islands as part of the Assembly's Assurance Committee recently, demanded the benefit to the islands' children, highlighting how their parents pleaded for it as and when a VIP visited the place. They said West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala were allowing the benefit to their people living in the islands. The Minister, however, explained that in the case of Andhra Pradesh, nothing could be done without altering the Presidential order but the Andaman children could apply through the "unreserved category'' (15 per cent).

The issue of fake stamp papers also figured during the proceedings today with K. Haribabu, BJP, and A. Vivekananda Reddy, Congress, asking the State Government to contain the menace. The Revenue Minister, P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju, said the racket was first unearthed in Karnataka and in Andhra Pradesh so far, five cases were detected. Investigation in all these cases was completed and cases booked. As a permanent measure, he said the State Government had addressed a letter to the Centre seeking enhancement of security features on the stamp papers. The steps initiated from its side included allowing franking machines in 15 sub-registrar offices.

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