Vishakhapatnam: Anakapalle Tribal Farmers Allege Mining Mafia Blocking Relief

The farmers carried samples of granite waste to the Oota stream and demanded that the joint collector personally inspect the quarry-affected areas.

Ten tribal farmers cultivating cashew and mango orchards on eight acres, along with farmers from other communities, alleged that their lands had been buried under granite debris from quarries operated by M/S Clutch Stone, M/S Sitaram Granite, M/S Galaxy Raku and G. Kondapalli Granite. The quarries are located in Survey No. 1 under Uralova Revenue in V. Madugula mandal.

The protesters alleged that quarry operations had damaged local streams, including Enugulu, Dudekula and Sindarapu. They said granite waste had entered the Oota stream, creating sand dunes across tribal lands.

The farmers said they had earlier complained to the Visakhapatnam district collector and that AD Mines officials had conducted inspections, but no action was taken. Complaints submitted to the V. Madugula and Ravikamatham tahsildars in 2017 and 2020 also yielded no results, they said. Villagers alleged that "official machinery is in the hands of the mining mafia."

The farmers also alleged that environmental permits continued to be issued despite their complaints. They said approval was recently granted for 25 acres of the Amar Granite Quarry on Urlava Hill.

A gram sabha is scheduled to be held at Vammali Jagannadhapuram on September 10. Farmers said promises made during earlier permit assemblies, including tree plantations, medical camps and corporate social responsibility (CSR) spending, remained unfulfilled despite 23 years of quarrying.

They also opposed new quarries planned for Nedumalla, Singarapu Stream and Dudekula Stream, alleging that these would further affect existing crop fields. “Since quarry operations are supported by people's representatives, authorities have fallen into the hands of the mining mafia. No matter how many complaints we make, they are ignored,” villagers stated.

The protesters demanded immediate cancellation of the September 10 Gram Sabha and all environmental permits, besides an inspection of the mining-affected areas by the joint collector.

The protest was led by Fifth Schedule Sadhana Sangam district chief secretary E. Narasimhamurthy, district honorary president K. Govinda Rao, Vyvasaya Karmikula Sangham state executive committee member K. Bhavani and leaders of Girijana Rytula Sangham, including Solam Rajababu, Zemada Apparao, Tokala Nukalamma and Turre Narasimhamurthy, along with Rythu Sangham leader Mallu Devullu.