Clay Being Mined Indiscriminately from Pond in Konaseema’s Pedapalla Village
Hundreds of tippers are carrying the excavated clay and selling it to the nurseries and brick manufacturing units in the area, or to realtors for levelling grounds. Heavy machinery is being used to excavate clay from the pond.
Kakinada: Unauthorised individuals are excavating large amounts of clay from a pond in Pedapalla village in Alamuru mandal of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district.
These individuals, aligned with the Telugu Desam, claim local people have engaged them to remove the weed and deepen the pond. However, it is learnt that the authority concerned, department of Mines and Geology, has not given them any permission for excavation.
Hundreds of tippers are carrying the excavated clay and selling it to the nurseries and brick manufacturing units in the area, or to realtors for levelling grounds. Heavy machinery is being used to excavate clay from the pond.
Sources said the mining is going on despite the Mines and Geology department officials recently fining two vehicles ₹20,000 for illegally transporting clay from the pond.
Sir Arthur Cotton Farmers Welfare Association president Nekkanti Srinivas has complained to the mandal development and mandal revenue officials as well as district higher officials about the clay being illegally mined from the pond in Pedapalla village. He maintained that if the village elders want to develop the pond, the work should be done through NREGS workers and not using heavy machinery that would damage the pond.
Further, Srinivas pointed out that if the pond is to be developed, its bund should be first strengthened. If any clay is being taken out, it must be done only after taking permission from officials, he maintained.
When contacted, Kothapeta MLA Bandaru Satyananda Rao told Deccan Chronicle that the issue of the pond being excavated had come to his notice recently. He assured that he would take steps to check indiscriminate excavation of clay from the pond.
In the interim, the District Mining and Geology Officer Ashok has cracked the whip on illegal mining in Konaseema. He has carried out surprise raids at several places and collected more than ₹10 lakh in fine from those illegally quarrying sand and clay. The official said that if any illegal or indiscriminate mining of clay is going on from ponds or other water bodies, he would book cases and seize vehicles for illegally transporting material.
However, as per law, if vehicle drivers or owners pay the fine, the vehicle will have to be released, he maintained. But if the vehicle continues transporting material illegally, it could be seized.
