Tribals up in arms against mining

The government is getting ready to grant lease for granite mining despite strong opposition from the tribals in many areas of Palakonda in Srikakulam district. The irony is that the authorities are planning to grant these leases at the very place where they had already issued pattas to the local tribals.

The tribals are already up in arms over the mining lease issue at Kannedhara Konda in Seetampeta mandal, Yelukalametta of Heeramandal and Mallammaguda in Palakonda mandal. Now, the Palavalasa tribals too joined the struggle against district administration’s move to grant mining leases at Bodikonda. The tribals of four mandals in Palakonda division are coming together to wage a united struggle against the government.

Bodikonda hillock is spread in an extent of 330 acres in survey number 13 at Palavalasa village. Some granite businessmen have already collected the mining samples after conducting blastings secretly on specific information that there were huge granite reserves at the place. They applied for mining lease with the mines department. The local tehsildar has reportedly received the orders from the mining department to conduct a survey and submit a report.

Soon, the revenue officials demarcated the boundaries. Interestingly, 40 pattadar passbooks were given away to beneficiaries on the hillock as part of the Forest Rights Act. All the beneficiaries are now cultivating in the said hillock. The tribals claim that the hillock is home to rare medicinal plants and a variety of other plants.

MPTC member of Palavalasa, Nimmaka Kora, warned the administration against granting of mining leases ignoring the welfare of the local tribals. "We would retaliate strongly because the tribals have been depending on the hillock for their livelihood since several decades," he said.

The authorities stopped the lease granting process at Yelukalametta in an extent of 18 acres in Pindruwada panchayat of Heera mandal where 46 tribals were given pattas under the Forest Rights Act, and at Mallannaguda of Palakonda mandal following intense agitations.

Tehsildar of Bhamini mandal said his department has conducted surveys in 20 and 24 survey numbers. "We have not demarcated any boundaries in survey number 13," he said. However, he admitted that they have received seven applications for mining leases on Bodikonda hillock from the mining department.