Plea to ban bauxite mining in Eastern Ghats

Bauxite mining in the Eastern Ghats of Visakhapatnam and East Godavari districts would ruin the ecology of the region and the livelihood of thousands of Girijan families, several associations and organisations have said. They have therefore appealed to AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu that there should be no rethink on the issue.

In an open letter to the CM released here on Friday, the NGOs and other organisations said the Telugu Desam Party had given a clear and categorical assurance in the election campaign that the bauxite mining proposal would be shelved and there would be no rethink on the issue.

But now “it appears that your Government is toying with the idea of allowing bauxite mining and under no circumstances should you entertain such a proposal.”

KS Chalam, the Convener of the struggle committee against the coastal corridor, Ch Prasad of the Revolutionary Writers’ Association, M Venkateswarlu of the Indian Federation of Trade Unions, and several others signed the open letter. They stated that in Visakhapatnam district alone, 247 girijan villages in the agency area would be badly affected and nearly 10,000 girijans would be displaced. In East Godavari and Vizianagaram districts also girijans would be affected.

“The fragile ecological system of the eastern ghats, from where several rivulets such as Gosthani, Sarada, and others originate, will be ruined beyond repair. There will be large-scale water contamination and the Government will be in no position to show alternative livelihood to them. Even the plain areas will be affected, if the rivulets get affected. There will be a huge upheaval in Visakhapatnam and East Godavari districts,” the letter stated.

Tourism in the picturesque Araku valley in Visakhapatnam district will also be affected as bauxite reserves are in this area, and the hydro electric projects such as Machkund and Donkarayi will also be damaged, they said, adding that coffee cultivation would also be adversely affected.

They also pointed out that several TDP leaders had led agitations against bauxite mining when Congress was in power and the people would not forgive them if they went back on their word.