Another G O to trouble Srilakshmi

By SNV Sudhir


Visakhapatnam, July 10, 2012: Already in neck deep trouble and lodged in Chanchaluguda jail for her role in issuing G Os for illegal mining in Obulapuram, another G O of senior bureaucrat Y Srilakhsmi, issued earlier, leasing hundreds of rupees of crores worth laterite mining in Avelthi in East Godavari district has come to light.
It was in Aug, 18, 2009 that Y Srilakshmi, as secretary of industries, including mining to the state government issued G O MS No. 196, giving the laterite mining lease to a private party over an extent of 134.01 acres in Avelthi village, Sankavaram mandal in East Godavari district for a period of 20 years.
Though mining in the area is yet to take off, questions are now being asked how the G O was issued without following norms and procedures.  Though local authorities claim that the leased area is Un –Surveyed Hill Poramboke, environmentalists said that the area is actually part of the hill range in the Sarlanka reserve forest and mandatory forest clearance should be obtained.  “Even if we presume that the area falls under local revenue department, mandatory local grama sabha consent should be taken before issuing leasing licenses; this was not done in this case. Not even single revenue survey team visited Avelthi and surroundings to take local grama sabha consent, yet a G O was issued,” said, Coordinator of Samata, working for forest rights, G Srinivas.
Interestingly Avelthi villagers, last month, held a gram sabha and passed a resolution opposing laterite mining in their area and appealed to both state and centre to cancel the leases.