The Human Rights Forum (HRF) demands that the mining lease and all other permissions accorded to project proponent Ms VR Infra and Technologies for mining quartzite at ‘Pedda Konda’ near Kusuluvada village in Anandapuram mandal of Visakhapatnam district be immediately revoked. The public hearing for the project slated for 28-8-2024 must be cancelled forthwith.
A three-member HRF team visited the area on 18-8-2024 and spoke with farmer residents of Gollalapalem, Chinnayyapalem and Reganigudem, all in Kusuluvada panchayat. We also examined an already existing quartzite quarry in the area which has been in operation since several years. The fresh proposal by VR Infra is adjacent to this and is to be in an extent of 7.991 hectares (19.7 acres) with a production capacity of 34,962 MPTA.
HRF believes that if mining on ‘Pedda Konda’ is allowed it will destroy local water bodies and will undermine the livelihood of a vibrant farming community in the area. The hilly stretch on which the mining is proposed is also the lifeline for thousands of cattle from several villages. This precious grazing resource will be lost in the event of mining.
Importantly, there are many streams that emanate from the proposed mining area that gather into the ‘Jaggam Gedda’ that eventually flows into the ‘Peli Cheruvu’ located near Reganigudem. Farmers from Gollalapalem, Kusulavada, Reganigudem and also Ramunenipeta (in Boni panchayat) rely on this tank to raise paddy and on occasion even a second crop. If mining takes place, this farming will be severely affected. In fact, the cumulative impact of the already existing quartzite mines and the current one will be devastating. The whole process of blasting, crushing, grinding and transportation etc. will negatively impact agriculture, further deplete existing water resources and livelihoods and exact a toll on human health.
Salient facts about local hydrology have been deliberately elided in the Draft Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report. In fact, the EIA report has not been made available to the local people in full in a language they understand. Even a truncated version – a bland executive summary of 21 pages – in Telugu has not been made accessible in the area. Only a full hard copy of the English version, running into a total of 372 pages, has been placed in the Kusulavada panchayat office! How are local people, consisting largely of the peasantry and the marginalised, expected to understand the contents in a language alien to them. This is a mockery of the environmental regime and makes the public hearing slated for August 28 a meaningless exercise.
Importantly, the mining license must be rescinded because it amounts to a violation of the Supreme Court order of December 12, 2003 in Civil Appeals No. 1907-1914 of 2000 which states that mining cannot be permitted within 2 km from any habitation. Also, guidelines of the AP Pollution Control Board (APPCB) state clearly that the distance between boundary of the mining site and human habitation, religious places and educational institutions must not be less than 500 metres. In this case, the distance between the MPP primary school, anganwadi kendram, a church, temple and the habitation of Chinnayyapalem, which is inhabited by a Scheduled Tribe, the manne doras, in about 50 households, is a mere 300 metres! Seeking to mine at such short distance in open contempt of norms can only be termed unabashed criminality.
K Anuradha – HRF Vizag district general secretary
P Raghu – HRF Vizag district president
VS Krishna – HRF AP&TG Coordination Committee member
19.08.2024,
Visakhapatnam.