Ramappa Temple Panel Warns of Mining Threat
They recalled that a similar proposal was resisted through public protests in 2009‑10 and cautioned that history should not be allowed to repeat itself. The committee warned it was prepared to launch a statewide agitation with affected villagers if the mine was not shelved.
Mulugu: Concerns are mounting over the proposed P.V. Narasimha Rao open‑cast coal mine, with the Ramappa Temple Protection Committee warning that the project could endanger the Ramappa Temple, a Unesco world heritage, and the historic Ramappa lake in Mulugu district.
Convener Agireddy Venkata Rama Mohan Rao urged Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) management to release scientific studies and environmental assessments, and withdraw the project if concerns remain unresolved.
The committee demanded immediate cancellation of the project, alleging that large‑scale blasting and excavation near the centuries‑old monument could threaten its structural stability. Members noted that the temple, famed for its sand‑box foundations and unique engineering, was particularly vulnerable to vibrations from mining.
They recalled that a similar proposal was resisted through public protests in 2009‑10 and cautioned that history should not be allowed to repeat itself. The committee warned it was prepared to launch a statewide agitation with affected villagers if the mine was not shelved.
The committee also expressed fears that mining could damage Ramappa lake, which stores about 3 thousand million cubic feet of water and irrigates nearly 30,000 acres. Thousands of fishermen and farming families across 22 villages depend on the reservoir, they said, warning that any depletion would severely affect livelihoods.