The Human Rights Forum (HRF) demanded that the environmental public hearing for two proposals to mine quartzite, scheduled to be held on August 18 at Dalivalasa and Gavarapalem villages in K Kotapadu mandal of Anakapalli district, be cancelled forthwith. All permissions accorded for mining quartzite to the two project proponents must be revoked.
A two-member HRF team visited the area on August 13 and spoke with local residents, most of them farmers and sheep-rearers, and looked at the effects of quartzite mining there for many years. For about 18 years, the hills abutting the villages of Dalivalasa, Marrivalasa, Pindrangi and Gavarapalem were ravaged because of mining for quartzite by the same project proponents who now want to mine for another 20 years, said V.S. Krishna of the HRF.
He alleged that the mining was done without the mandatory environmental clearance. This was in plain violation of the Environment (Protection) Act. The matter went to court which penalised them with a sum of ₹10,000 each for this illegality, he added.
