District administration cancels NOC for gravel mining in Srikakulam

Srikakulam: The district administration has cancelled the No Objection Certificate (NOC) for gravel mining at Bodikonda underf Pentibadhra village of Palasa mandal after the tribal people and farmers opposed it. It was proposed to undertake gravel mining in 130 acres in survey number.

The tribal people were opposed to it because the government as far as back in 1996 allotted the land to 79 tribes and local farmers to enable them to take up horticulture crops like cashew, mango etc. The farmers had also received compensation for loss of cashew and mango trees due to Titli cyclone in 2018.

But six months ago, a group of persons for permission to excavate gravel from part of these lands. They had misled the administration that the government had allotted only 15 acres of land to the farmers for horticulture crops.

They said the 115 acres of land was suitable for excavation. The then Tahsildar issued NOCs to the applicants. On learning about it, the farmers staged protest in front of Palasa Tahsildar's office. Finally, they represented the issue to Tekkali Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) I Kishore.

After due inquiry and verification of records, the RDO directed the present Palasa Tahsildar to cancel NOCs. "We have cancelled the NOCs for mining on Thursday and tribes can cultivate these lands as usual," Tekkali RDO told The Hans India.