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The authorities has revoked the permit accorded to Stone Plus firm for mining granite from the reserve forest and the catchment space of the Kalyanapulova reservoir in Visakhapatnam district.
The resolution was taken in response to the calls for of tribal individuals and farmers of Cheemalapadu village in Ravikamatam mandal, introduced Joint Collector Venugopal Reddy late on Monday evening. The tribal individuals and the farmers have been agitating since months, demanding the revocation of the mining permit, alleging that it was inflicting injury to the reserve forest and the catchment space of the reservoir.
Tribal individuals, farmers and the members of All India Agricultural Rural Labour Association (AIARLA) and Save Kalyanapulova Movement urged the federal government to revoke the licence issued to Sai Kapil firm too, saying that the mining space adjoins the first faculty at Z. Jogumpeta village, which additionally falls within the catchment space.
“Both the mining companies have been mining granites from the hills adjoining the reservoir catchment area that has been declared a reserve forest by the Forest Department,” stated P.S. Ajay Kumar of the AIARLA.
‘Drop cases against tribals’
He demanded that the reservoir space be declared as a ‘no mining zones’ and circumstances registered by the Kotakotha police towards the tribal individuals of Kalyanapulova, who took up the agitation, be dropped.
Officials blamed
“Criminal cases should be registered against the officers of the land survey and land records department who allegedly created fake revenue survey numbers in Somalamma Konda hill to mislead the administration,” stated Mr. Ajay Kumar.
Foundation stone for Kalyanapulova reservoir was laid some 40 years in the past and it has been catering to the irrigation wants of the farmers from 10 panchayatas in Ravikamatham mandal, protecting over 5,000 acres.
Irrigation supply
Mining permits have been issued within the reservoir catchment space since 2016, and farmers and tribal individuals have been sending petitions to the irrigation and mining departments, in search of cancellation of the leases from 2017.
Stone Plus firm has been mining granite from the reserve forest areas of Somalamma Hill and dumping the waste alongside the hillsides.
In May this yr, the Forest Department halted the mining actions and confiscated the equipment and the granite mined from the realm.
The tribal individuals opposed when the mining firm tried to maneuver the confiscated materials final month, with out acquiring the required permits.
Criminal circumstances had been registered towards tribal individuals who objected to it. However, they continued the agitation. The authorities involved took observe of it and the mining leases had been revoked after an inquiry, added Mr. Ajay Kumar.
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