Uralava Farmers Seek Webland Registration, Protest Granite Quarry Hearing
The protesters questioned why pattas had not been issued even six months after a survey ordered by the Anakapalle district collector in Sept 2025.
Visakhapatnam:Cultivators of Uralava Revenue in Madugula mandal staged a dharna at the Kommari secretariat, demanding cancellation of the public hearing related to M/s Amar Granite and immediate registration of their lands in Webland records.
The protesters questioned why pattas had not been issued even six months after a survey ordered by the Anakapalle district collector in Sept 2025.
They said 350 beneficiaries, including Dalits, tribals and poor farmers, had been allotted 450 acres of cashew and mango orchards in 2012–13, but the pattas remained unregistered in official records, depriving them of access to government welfare schemes.
The cultivators alleged that permissions continued to be granted for granite quarries while their pattas remained pending.
Uralava Hill, spread across the adjoining villages of Komiri, Kovvukunta, Buddi Bandha and Ravikamatham mandal, already has nine granite quarries, they said.
Residents alleged that mining had damaged the village goddess’ temple in Kovvukunta, weakened houses in Buddi Bandha and covered 12 acres of land with mining waste. They recalled that a complaint lodged with the joint collector in 2017 had not been acted upon and said crops continued to be affected by quarry dust, while mining activity caused sleepless nights for villagers.
They also said revenue from granite quarries went to VJ Puram village while their communities bore the losses.
The colour rock quarry began operations in 2003, followed by 10 more quarries. Villagers alleged that promises made during gram sabhas, including mineral water plants, roadside tree plantations, medical camps, school buildings, CSR funds and minimum wages, had not been fulfilled.
They said the MPP school building in Komiri Panchayat also remained in a dilapidated condition despite repeated requests for CSR support. After 23 years of mining, the entire hills had been removed without basic facilities being provided to affected villages, activists said.
The protesters demanded that the pollution control board and Anakapalle joint collector visit Uralava Revenue to assess the problems faced by residents.
They sought cancellation of the VJ Puram granite public hearing, completion of Webland registration and issuance of passbooks to all surveyed cultivators.
The dharna was led by CPIM district executive member K Govinda Rao along with local leaders Solam Raju and Satyavati.