TDP urges Centre to probe ‘illegal mining’ in Kondapalli forest area

The TDP has urged Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav to direct an inquiry into the alleged illegal mining and quarrying of gravel in the Kondapalli reserve forest area in Andhra Pradesh.

In a letter to Mr. Bhupender on Thursday, the TDP accused YSRCP’s Mylavaram MLA Vasantha Krishna Prasad of carrying out the illegal activity through his henchmen in violation of the Andhra Pradesh Forest Act, 1967, the Andhra Pradesh Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, and Right to Environment as guaranteed under Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution.

“Further, mining in the reserve forest is against the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980,” the TDP said in the letter.

‘Toymakers worst-hit’

Stating that the Kondapalli reserve forest area was home to a rich and diverse species of flora and fauna, the TDP said that a particular tree, commonly known as ‘Tella Poniki’ in Telugu and white sander in English, was the lifeline for the world famous Kondapalli toymakers.

“Due to the felling of this species of the tree to pave the way for illegal mining, the livelihood of the toymakers is under threat. It is widely believed that the illegal mining activity has already wiped out more than 200 acres of virgin forest area,” the TDP alleged in its letter.

The signatories of the letter were Polit Bureau members Varla Ramaiah, Bonda Umamaheswara Rao, Nakka Ananda Babu and V. Anitha; former Ministers Kollu Ravindra and Nettem Raghuram; former MP Konakalla Narayana Rao; former MLAs N. Ramakrishna Reddy and T. Soumya, and former chairman of the A.P. Police Housing Corporation Nagul Meera.