The Human Rights Forum (HRF) demands that the Andhra Pradesh government adopt a resolution in the State Assembly stating in explicit and unambiguous terms that no attempt will be made henceforth towards survey and exploration for uranium deposits in the Kappatralla Reserve Forest (RF) in Kurnool district. We believe the recent assurance given by the State government, in the face of sustained local protests against exploration for uranium, – “not to take any further action on the processing of the proposal until further orders from the government,” – is only a transient measure. Ominously, there remains the danger of potential exploration and subsequent mining for uranium in the area.
A 13-member HRF team on 2-2-2025 visited Kappatralla, Nellibandha and P. Kotakonda in Devanakonda mandal and spoke with residents. We also went up to the Koulutla Chennakesava Swamy temple located on the hill in the reserve forest. The local people are of the strong opinion that any mining for uranium in the area will cause grave injury to their health and destroy farming which is their livelihood. In fact, drilling of 20 borewells was undertaken in the Kappatralla RF by the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD) during The issue was kept secret with no transparency or public scrutiny. A fresh proposal was initiated by the AMD recently to drill 68 borewells to assess uranium reserves in the same area. The proposed exploration area is in the Kappatralla RF located in the Pathikonda section of Adoni forest range.
HRF is of the view that uranium mining is an unacceptable risk to humanity and the environment and that it is unviable in social and ethical terms. Uranium mining poisons the land, depletes and contaminates groundwater tables. It is dirty and perilous and leaves a lethal legacy for future generations. The scars of uranium mining will remain permanent. It poses significant threats with residues from mining remaining toxic for hundreds of thousands of years. An entire population in the area will be endangered with extremely serious health problems, known and potentially unknown. These would include congenital deformities, children born with skeletal distortions, partially formed skulls, blood disorders, sterility and a broad variety of physical deformities. One has only to visit Jaduguda in Jharkhand where uranium mining takes place to see this devastation.
It is established that mining sites remain highly dangerous for years after they stop operating.
Any exploration and mining in the Kappatralla area will have a deleterious impact on local hydrology. The Kappatralla RF, stretching over 1157 acres is catchment for the Gajuladinne Project (GDP) renamed as Sanjeevaiah Sagar, a medium irrigation project in Gonegandla mandal. The GD Project is part of the Handri-Neeva Sujala Sravathi that provides irrigation and drinking water in the region including several villages in the mandals of Pathikonda, Devanakonda, Kodumur and Gonegandla. Streams from the Kappatralla RF course down to the Jilledubudakala and then Karivemula, Nellibanda and Errabadu tanks and eventually into the Gajuladinne project. Rain water from the Kapatralla RF flows into the Kotakonda tank and then the Machapuram tank through the Nagamma Vanka. These tanks are a lifeline for farmers and uranium mining in the area will destroy this precious resource for people in over 25 villages. Ground and surface water in the mining vicinity will be invariably contaminated. Mining at depths penetrates aquifers exposing water to radioactive rock surfaces. Since aquifers interconnect, contamination of groundwater quickly becomes widespread.
We were also told by local residents that the Kappatralla RF is home to foxes, wild boar, porcupine, star turtle and peacock. Exploration and mining will certainly lead to the loss of their habitat and will jeopardise their survival. The RF is also a critical source of cattle grazing with even cattle from villages across the border in Karnataka being brought here seasonally for grazing.
The people in Kappatralla are also aware of the devastation being caused by ongoing mining and processing of uranium ore in the Thummalapalli unit being run by the Uranium Corporation of India Ltd (UCIL) in Vemula mandal of Kadapa district. They know of how the livelihood, health and sustenance basis of a vibrant farming community and the water security in many villages there is being grossly undermined.
There is little doubt that nuclear power remains the most dangerous form of energy. Instead of touting it endlessly, the government must radically raise investment in development of sustainable and renewable energy sources and technologies, especially wind and solar. The government’s view that nuclear energy plays an important role in tackling energy security and the ongoing climate crisis is a false assumption. What our nation needs is an energy system that can fight climate change based on renewable energy and energy efficiency, not on fossil fuels, much less on nuclear energy. Contrary to governmental assertions, nuclear power is actually more expensive than power from
conventional sources.
HRF calls for immediate stoppage of all attempts to assess uranium reserves in the Kappatralla area.
UG Srinivasulu – HRF AP State vice-president
UM Devendra Babu – HRF AP State secretary
VS Krishna – HRF AP&TG Coordination Committee member.
5-2-2025,
Kurnool.