The Hindu Business Line : Girijans protest against bauxite mining

Tough time: Tribals, under the aegis of Girijana Sangham, trying to gatecrash into the Collectorate, as part of their protest against bauxite mining in Visakhapatnam on Monday.

Our Bureau

Visakhapatnam, March 17 Tension prevailed on the premises of the Visakhapatnam District Collector’s Office here on Monday morning, when Girijans held a demonstration against the proposal of the State Government to take up bauxite mining in the Eastern Ghats through the AP Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC).

The APMDC will provide bauxite to the Jindal group setting up an alumina refinery in the Vizianagaram district and the Ras-Al-Khaima setting up another refinery at Makavarapalem in Visakhapatnam district.

They raised slogans against the Government for its decision to go ahead with mining, in spite of the opposition expressed by the public in the area (predominantly Girijans), the various Opposition parties and voluntary organisations.

They also raised slogans against the Jindal group. The police had a hard time controlling the protestors.

The protestors were allowed to meet the District Collector, Mr Sanjay Kumar, and present a memorandum voicing their grievances. The Collector promised them that he would take note of it and take the matter to the State Government.

Mr M.V.S Sarma, a member of the State Legislative Council, (CPI-M), and Mr Ch. Narasinga Rao, District Secretary of the CPI-M, denounced the decision of the State Government to go ahead with the projects. They wanted scrapping of the agreements with the Jindals and the Ras-Al-Khaima Group. “It will spell ruin to the Girijans in the hills and the people in the plains as well, as water sources will be polluted. Tribal habitats will be ruined,” they said.

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