VISAKHAPATNAM: The recent visit to the proposed bauxite mining areas of Araku Valley and Anantagiri mandals in the district by two members of a fourmember committee appointed by the Union ministry of environment and forests to study the impact of the project has made tribal people worried that the government is attempting to allow bauxite mining ignoring their interests.Committee chairman and former director-general of forests and former chairman of National Environment Appellate Authority JC Kala and former principal chief conservator of forests M Kamala Naidu made a secret visit to the Araku Valley and Anantagiri mandals, which have huge bauxite reserves, on October 10 and 11.According to sources, they visited Rattakonda, Gaalikonda and a few other hilly areas where the AP Mining Development Corporation sought permission for mining of bauxite to be supplied to the proposed Jindal South West Holding Limited’s aluminium refinery at Boddavaram in S Kota mandal in Vizianagaram district.The sources said the fourmember committee— JC Kala, Kamala Naidu, Tribal Cultural Research & Training Institute’s former director VN Sastry and directorgeneral of Administrative Staff College of India SK Rao _ would visit the proposed bauxite mining areas in Araku Valley and Anantagiri mandals in November to study the implications of mining, understand the interests of tribals and consult the stakeholders as well.Speaking to Express, convener of Forum for Better Visakha and former Union power secretary EAS Sarma said the Union ministry of mines had suspended the bauxite mining leases last year but the government was trying to revive the leases under the influence of the mining lobby.He said work on the alumina refinery project of Anrak Aluminium Limited at Rachapalle village in Makavarapalem mandal in the district was going apace.Sarma said land acquisition process started for construction of a captive jetty with minor port status at Rajayyapeta village oin Nakkapalle mandal.Anrak Aluminium Limited is a joint venture between Ras al-Khaimah and the Penna group and has clearance for bauxite mining through AP Mining Development Corporation.It has obtained environmental clearance but is yet to get forest clearance.The mining ministry suspended its lease for mining and a team is likely to visit for forest clearance.Recently, the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) and the National Environment Appellate Authority (NEAA) have decided to cancel the clearances given to Anrak.Despite strong protests from the tribes that bauxite mining would violate the rights of tribals and destroy ecology and affect livelihood, the government is firm on bauxite mining.The district has around 550 million tonnes of bauxite reserves.Drinking and irrigation water will need to be diverted to the alumina refinery and such a prospect will lead to a serious water crisis in the region, warn CPM and CPI leaders.
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