Naidu should to MoEF to cancel EC for mining: PCC chief N Raghuveera Reddy

 

He also demanded that Mr Naidu write to the MoEF, asking it to cancel the environmental clearances accorded to take up mining in Vizag Agency.

 

Mr Raghuveera Reddy along with former AP Assembly Speaker, Nadendla Manohar, former ministers P. Balaraju, Sake Sailaja-nath and Vatti Vasanth Kumar and various other leaders, released a factual paper on bauxite mining explaining the Congress’s stand on the issue in the city on Monday.

 

“Congress has taken a very clear stance on bauxite mining. We are against it. Mining will not only destroy the livelihood of tribals but also contaminate the water resources of Vizag and Vizianagaram.

 

The Congress has been against bauxite mining even when in power. As a follow up of the earlier TD government’s decision, the then Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy-led Congress government had taken it forward and signed MoUs. But after understanding the sentiments of tribals and other issues we did not pursue mining thereafter.

 

Two Union ministers — K. C. Deo and Jairam Ramesh — had written to the state government against the mining and after that it was not pursued. The  Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, himself held a high-level meeting on bauxite mining in Vizag Ag-ency with around 10 department heads and  reviewed it,” Mr Raghuveera Reddy told reporters.

 

He alleged that the white paper released by Mr Naidu was full of lies and it was done only to conceal his corruption. “It was Mr Naidu who first initiated the bauxite mining issue. He was the person who called for tenders where around 22 private companies showed interest. He made a lot of money out of it. Mr Naidu brought in the Dubai-based company and also encouraged Koneru Prasad of Trimax on the bauxite mining issue,” Mr Raghuveera Reddy added.

 

The senior Congress leader, further said, the Congress had passed an unanimous resolution, opposing bauxite mining in Vizag  Agency in the executive meeting held at Vijayawada last month and the party will launch an agitation very soon. 

 

Mr Nadendla Manohar has said that their leaders will raise the issue in both the Houses of Parliament.