Kurnool Villages on Diamond Hunt

Many camp out and search for diamonds in agricultural lands the day after each rain. Despite farmers warning them and placing signs asking strangers not to venture into agricultural lands, people continue their search for diamonds. This often obstructs farming activities.

Diamond-bearing rocks are found in parts of Anantapur, Kadapa, Kurnool, Mahbubnagar, Nalgonda, Krishna and Guntur districts. AP accounts for about 40 per cent of India's diamond resources, followed by Madhya Pradesh (32 per cent) and Chhattisgarh (28 per cent).

The diamonds in the state are found in primary kimberlite/lamproite pipes, secondary conglomerates and tertiary gravels in the old river terraces. Important locations include Dibbasanipalli, Jonnagiri, Yemmiganur, Nadigadda, Ramallakota, N Racharla, Munimadugu, Yembai and more in the combined Kurnool district.The National Diamond Project, initiated in the early 1980s to identify diamond-bearing areas in AP, pinpointed zones in Anantapur, Kurnool, Mahbubnagar, Krishna and Guntur districts.

The integrated survey indicated that diamond incidence was erratic, ranging from one carat to 35 carats per 100 tonnes of source material.

When the rain starts, many families leave their homes to hunt for diamonds. People live in tents from June to November at Jonnagiri, Tuggali, Maddikera, Pagidrayi, Yerragudi, Peravali, Mahanandi and Mahadevapuram, which are known to be diamond-bearing areas in the district. Diamonds often appear after rain wash away several layers of the earth.

Many people focus on areas around the Sarva Narasimha Swamy temple in Sirivella mandal headquarters. Some accidents had occurred in the region during such searches. Even children are involved in the treasure-hunting activity.

"This is a common occurrence, with people from various places coming in search of diamonds. However, it creates problems for our agricultural activities, especially now that the rains have started.

Despite our requests, they continue to enter our lands. We have to hire watchmen at our own expense to prevent unauthorized entry," explained K Mallanna from Tuggali mandal.According to estimates, people in Sirivella and Mahanandi find diamonds worth three to four crore rupees, on average, during the rainy season. Maddikera and Tuggali mandals in Kurnool account for diamonds worth about Rs 4-5 crore annually. Traders also camp in these areas to buy diamonds from the hunters at lower prices. Now, these places are bustling with diamond hunters who scout around from dawn to dusk.

In recent years, many people have found small diamonds in agricultural lands worth Rs 20 lakhs to Rs 2 crore, selling them to traders at low prices. As there are no official transactions, these activities often go unnoticed. Traders typically settle the amount in cash and leave the place discreetly.