Residents of several villages of Gudupalle mandal in Kuppam Assembly constituency lamented that despite their repeated appeals to stop the granite mining activity in the surroundings, nothing tangible has been done, while the danger to human lives and damage to the residential areas continues.
About 70 residents of the eight villages of Kothur, Kotamakanapalle, Chinna Kotamanapalle, Kondasamudram, Chinna Agraharam, Talli Agraharam, Srinivasapuram and Krishnarajapuram of Gudupalle mandal had submitted a complaint to Achary Talloju, member of the National Commission for the Backward Classes, New Delhi, in February this year. The residents said they had also complained to the National Green Tribunal. The complaint carried the names, Aadhaar details, and phone numbers of the villagers along with their signatures. Some senior citizens among them deplored that even after five months, their grievances were not resolved.
The villagers said that their hamlets are being subjected to grave dangers in the form of blasting of granites in six quarries. Incessant blasting of rocks and boulders have led to dust pollution which is affecting surrounding crops, and posing a risk to the villagers in the form of splinters hitting the houses and causing injuries to the residents.
