Villagers Block Highway Against Mining In Nellore District
The protest, led by women and village elders, brought vehicular movement to a standstill for several hours.
Tirupati:Residents of Varikuntapadu panchayat in Nellore district staged a sit-in protest on the national highway on Friday, demanding an immediate halt to mining operations being carried out in the area.
The protest, led by women and village elders, brought vehicular movement to a standstill for several hours.
The agitation was sparked by ongoing mining activity in Jangam Reddypalli, which the villagers say poses a serious threat to their livelihoods. Protesters voiced fears that nearly 300 families in the panchayat would be displaced if the mining was allowed to continue.
The situation grew tense when the police arrived at the scene and asked the protesters to disperse. A heated argument ensued, with the villagers refusing to withdraw until their concerns were addressed.
The protesters alleged that despite repeatedly raising the issue with officials, no action had been taken.
“We have submitted petitions to the Nellore collector, the Jana Sena Party office, our local MLA Kakarla Suresh, and endowments minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy. But no one has responded to our pleas,” said a protester.
Villagers say the proposed mining threatens agricultural lands, water resources, and their ancestral homes. They demanded that the government cancel the mining permits immediately and safeguard the interests of the rural population.
As of Friday evening, the protest had been partially dispersed, but villagers warned that they would intensify their agitation if their demands continued to be ignored.