Uranium mining in Nallamala opposed

Hyderabad: The Anti Uranium Mining Struggle Committee of Nallamala Forest demanded the immediate withdrawal of permissions for mining in the Nallamala forest area for Uranium.

At a round table held here on Tuesday, Telangana Praja Front said that the Uranium Corporation of India should immediately announce the closure of mining works at Nallamala. They called upon all political parties to oppose mining of Uranium in Nallamala forest area.

The committee leaders said that the government should stop the forcible evacuation of Chenchu tribe from the Tiger Reserve area and should provide all basic amenities to them.

The political parties should respect the fundamental rights of the tribes which have been guaranteed by the Constitution and join hands in protecting their rights.

They also demanded that all cases filed against the struggle committee leaders be withdrawn and any oppressive tactics should be stopped.

Delivering the key note address TPF president Nalamasa Krishna said SCs, BCs and minority sections were not getting the benefits of development.

They were becoming scapegoats. While the farmers and peasants spill their blood for the prosperity of the country, the political leaders were looting the nation.

He said the centre has initiated mining activity in a big way and allocated hundreds of crores of rupees in the budget. The Wildlife Protection Board of the State has given permissions in its first meeting for search of Uranium in Nalgonda and Mahbubnagar districts.

Efforts were on to take up search for Uranium, Diamond and Gold deposits in Nallamala from 2003. Helicopters were used for the search and the surveys were done from Nalgonda district of Telangana to Kadapa district of AP.

Not just that, Forest officials have given forest lands on lease to corporate companies to take up survey to identify deposits. The Uranium Corporation of India has been carrying out its activities without informing anyone.

He said the Telangana Rashtra Samithi MP K Kavitha had opposed the mining activities before TRS came to power but surprisingly now she was not speaking on the issue.

Member of Legislative Assembly B Balaraju has allowed displacement of about 60,000 people in his constituency, forgetting his opposition to mining before the elections.

Eminent environmentalist Prof K Purushotham Reddy said that people should oppose the Uranium mining in Nallamala with the spirit of the successful movement that was taken up against nuclear power plant at Nagarjuna Sagar. He said that people opposed with one voice against the establishment of nuclear power plant at Nagarjuna Sagar, a decade ago.

Only movements like these can restrict the governments from going ahead with the projects that cause threat to environment, he said. Environmental activists Dr Sajaya and Dr Babu Rao also spoke.