Mining minefield

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Sept. 22: More than 30 years after they were first discovered, the rich bauxite deposits in Vizag Agency tracts continue to cause controversy. Though the previous Telugu Desam government signed two MoUs for mining bauxite, they did not take off. However, the Congress government is going ahead with its plans to mine bauxite despite opposition from tribals, NGOs, rights organisations, Opposition political parties and Maoists.

On July 1, 2005, the then government signed a MoU with Jindal South West (JSW) of the Jindal Group and in February 14, 2007, a second MoU was signed with the Government of Ras al-Khaima of the United Arab Emirates. According to the MoUs, bauxite would be mined from the agency areas by the government-owned Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC), which would sell it to the alumina refinery established by the private industries. This alumina will then be converted to aluminium.

JSW will set up its alumina smelter (purifying raw bauxite plant) in S Kota in the neighbouring Viziangaram district and RAK at Makavarapalem coming under Vizag district. The union environment ministry cleared two mining projects in October and December 2007, and a third one is in the pipeline. The Eastern Ghats are a storehouse of bauxite, with 564.33 million tonnes of deposits in Visakhapatnam district alone.

NGOs and activists contend that the bauxite mining would not only render thousands of tribals homeless, and ruin thousands of acres of coffee plantations, but will also damage the environment. The area is also home to tribal populations belonging to Bhagata, Khond, Konda Reddi, Samantha and other communities. The Constitution of India has provided special provisions for their protection in its Fifth Schedule.

A Supreme Court verdict given in the Samata case also helped activists to stall the project. The SC said that tribal land could be leased out only to government agencies, public sector companies or tribal societies and not to private companies.

"It is to circumvent this that the government has cleverly decided to bring APMDC into the picture," said Mr Ravi Rebbapragada of Samata, an NGO fighting against the mining proposal. "The government has not bothered to consult the tribals." It is being alleged that the public hearings being conducted by the AP Pollution Control Board (APPCB) for setting up the alumina refineries are being stage managed since those who oppose the project are not being given any chance to speak.

However, the tribals still have hope of stalling the project since the mining area has to be selected by the local Adivasi Grama Sabhas as per the provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) ACT, 1996 (Pesa Act). Mr Rebbapragada pointed out that bauxite mining in nearby Orissa had left a trail of destruction. "It changes the entire ecology of the region," he said. "The water table would be affected and flora and fauna would disappear."

The mining areas of Galikonda and Chittiam Konda are home to the rare and endangered bird Athera Blewitti. In fact, there are many rare birds in the stretch from Sileru to Lammasingi and Paderu and Araku. Angry tribals have vowed to resist the project at all costs.

"I will not hesitate to use my bows and arrows," warned Mr Killo Surendra, an MPTC of Araku. Recently tribals in Araku roughed up a manager of Jindal South West Ltd who came to their areas to run a campaign in favour of bauxite mining. Authorities are now readying for a crucial public hearing by the AP Pollution Control Board at Chintapalli on October 3. Tribals in the area are strongly opposed to mining.

"They have deployed Greyhound squads to create fear among tribals but we are spreading awareness among people about the ill effects of mining," said the CPI district secretary, Mr J.V. Satyanarayana Murthy. "We will mobilise the maximum number of tribals to attend the hearing.


Maoists afraid of proposal

Visakhapatnam,, Sept. 22: The outlawed Maoists are bitterly opposed to the government plans to mine bauxite not just because of their concern for tribals but also because it would expose their hideouts. They fear that the mining activity would threaten their strongholds which come under the strategic Andhra Orissa Border Special Zonal Committee. The AOB tracts are known to be shelter zones of the extremists and are turning into action zones as well.

These tracts are also used as an escape route by many Maoists to move from one state to the other through the thick forest cover. Availability of water bodies in abundance also helps Maoists hide in the Vizag Agency and the thick forest cover makes combing operations difficult for the police. Maoists have now started organising meetings in the open with the tribals, goading them to fight against the mining proposal.

The extremist leaders have exhorted tribals to even physically fight the authorities to prevent the mining operations and warned of dire action against those who support it. These meetings gain importance because of the public hearing planned by the AP Pollution Control Board in Chintapalle on October 3.