Pulichintala: Kollur, known as the diamond belt of Andhra Pradesh, has been submerged by the backwaters of the Pulichintala project.
Locals were evacuated after the backwaters submerged many of the villages in both states. “All fields around Kollur have been submerged for the first time. The village, which is at an elevated level, is yet to go under water. Several villages on either side in Guntur and Nalgonda districts are submerged," said Mr G Prasad, assistant engineer, Dr K.L. Rao Sagar, Pulichintala project.
Pulichintala and Gollapalli villages were also submerged. Till recently diamond miners from other states including Gujarat had camped at Kollur.
A total of 26,521 acres including 12,554 in Guntur and 13,966 in Nalgonda have been submerged by the backwaters; the land has been acquired by the respective governments.
According to Ms Pushpa Sambi Reddy, an expert on the history of diamond mining in these parts, 38 diamond mines existed in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema.
Twenty world famous diamonds were mined from the Kollur-Paritala zone of Guntur and Krishna districts in Andhra Pradesh (popularly called Golconda diamonds). Most of these mines were active till 1830 but were gradually abandoned
