Stop illegal mining by BRS leader: Judson

WARANGAL:  Congress leader and former AICC member Bakka Judson alleged that two private companies, which are owned by ruling BRS leader and the son of Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation Mayor Gundu Sudharani, were trying to carry out granite mining operations at Narayanagiri village of Dharmasagar mandal by illegally obtaining clearance from the Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) as it will cause damage to the environment and aquatic ecology of the area.

He, along with the residents of Narayanagiri village, staged a dharna in front of the office of the director of the mining department in Hyderabad on Saturday.

 Later, they submitted a representation to the joint director of the mining department Venkateshwarlu and requested him not to permit any company for mining at Narayanagiri village, alleging that already huge exploitation of natural resources had taken place in the area.

 Judson alleged that having learnt about the availability of colour granite in the land of survey no.609 in the village, the two contract companies namely Shreya Export Company and Sriman Rock Company, owned by the son of Warangal mayor, purchased 15 hectares of land each and applied for mining in 2021. The Shreyva Export Company applied to carry out mining up to 46,080 cubic meters and the Sriman Rock Company up to 47,904 cubic meters for a period of 20 years.

The TSPCB officials, colluding with the contractors and the interested parties, conducted fake public hearings by bringing people from other places and gave clearance to the companies for mining, in violation of various conditions of environmental clearance (EC), consent orders and environmental laws, directly causing damage to the environment and aquatic ecology, particularly the flora and fauna in the area.

Once the mining operations are started, the entire area will become a desert as it will be polluted with dust, debris and water contamination, affecting the six lakh population including the fishermen community, he said. Warning the government of the revolt from the public, Judson demanded immediate action against the responsible persons involved in the “quid pro quo arrangement”.

Judson said that he also lodged a case with the National Human Rights Commission against the two accused companies regarding illegal mining.