Visakhapatnam: Mining begins at reservoir site

Visakhapatnam: The authorities concerned are pushing granite mining throwing the norms to wind in Vizag. A licence was issued to mine granite in an extent of 24 hectares at Rajam village in Butchaiahpeta mandal in Survey No. 233 and mining activity has begun recently.

As per the revenue records, a reservoir was proposed and sanctioned by the irrigation department in the same area where now granite is being mined.

Instead of constructing a reservoir, the local tahsildhar and the mining officials gave 'No Objection Certificate' for granite mining after the local panchayat's nod.
Documents obtained under the RTI Act accessed by Deccan Chronicle show that a village resolution allowing mining was signed only by the sarpanch whereas as per the norms, all the remaining 11 members should also sign.

A mini-reservoir was planned to streamline water from a rivulet flowing from the nearby Oorakonda hill to irrigate thousands of acres of fields. The revenue adangal copy accessed by this newspaper clearly shows that 874 acres coming under Survey No. 233 is hill poromboke and belonged to the government. The adangal also clearly mentions that the 874 acres belonged to Oorakonda reservoir.

"The stream that comes from the Oorakonda hill is the only source of water for our village for all purposes. That water fills at least 10 tanks in the village which is used by us. In 1998, when Balireddy Satya Rao was the minister that Oorakonda reservoir was proposed and was also sanctioned. Four years ago, the government staff had also taken the measurements. Now, it looks like the reservoir proposal has been shelved.  Granite mining will definitely obstruct water flow to the village," said Surisety Naidu, a farmer from Rajam village.

After sustained protests from the villagers, the RDO and tahsildhar  had visited the village a month ago and promised to conduct a gram sabha before mining begins.

However, Naidu, alleged that the mining has begun even without the assured grama sabha to know the opinion of the villagers. "Majority of the panchayat members are against the mining. It is only the sarpanch who signed the panchayat resolution," added another villager, Srinivas. The Butchaiahpeta mandal tahsildar was not reachable to comment on the issue.