In an attempt to counter the allegations of the Joint Action Committee comprising Girijana Samkshema Sangham, Akhila Bharata Rythu Coolie Sangham, A.P. Rythu Coolie Sangham, CPI(M) and the YSRCP that the ruling party has granted permission to M.S.P. Granites for mining Badidevarakonda for colour granite at Kori village in Parvathipuram mandal, the TDP district committee, has demanded resurvey of the area. Vizianagaram Divisional Forest Officer Ramana Murty however maintained that it was a reserve forest.
At a press conference on Tuesday, party district president and MLC Dwarapureddy Jagadish refuted allegations of the JAC saying the process for mining lease for 20 years in an extent of 16.56 ha under survey number 1 of Kori village had begun during the Congress regime and the firm had obtained environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests. Further, he sought to know why the Forest Department allowed the M.S.P. Granites to perform Bhoomi Puja recently if it was a notified reserve forest area.
The JAC has been agitating for the past few days demanding that the lease be scrapped keeping in view the sentiments of the tribal people and non-tribal people of Kantibhadra, Mulaga, Kori, Gangapuram, Sudigam, Sangamvalasa, M.R. Nagaram, China Bondapalli and Putturu, and also its impact on cultivable lands.
ADVERTISEMENT
According to Ramakrishna Vittal, MPTC memberof Kantibhadra, inhabitants in the nine villages above said they believed that worshipping Badi Devamma, an engraved picture of village goddess on the hill, which receives copious rain during monsoon, helps them raise paddy and pulses in an extent of 1,500 acres.
Further, he said Badidevarakonda was about 5 km in radius and rainwater was collected and channelled to a number of minor tanks for irrigation.
Mr. Vittal said that prior to approving the lease, neither the district administration conducted public hearing nor the panchayats adopted resolution since 2006 in this regard.
ADVERTISEMENT
Party says the process for mining lease for 20 years in an extent of 16.56 ha under survey number 1 of Kori village had begun during the Congress regime