CAUSE FOR CONCERN: An elderly person watching the demonstration against uranium units organized in Nalgonda on Tuesday.

NALGONDA: Anti-uranium activists on Tuesday held a demonstration in front of the office of the Environment Engineer, Pollution Control Board, reiterating their demand that Uranium Corporation of India Limited proposal for uranium mining in the district be rejected.

On coming to know that the Corporation's proposal to set up mining project at Lambapur-Peddagattu is reportedly being considered by the reconstituted expert committee (mines) at a meeting in New Delhi on October 26, the activists under the aegis of the Movement Against Uranium Project, Jana Vignana Vedika and Human Rights Forum organised the demonstration with placards and banners.

Adverse impact feared

While the JVV cultural troupe sung songs explaining the reported disastrous impact of uranium, the MAUP members launched a signature campaign for two hours. Later they submitted a three-page letter addressed to the Minister of Environment and Forests to the EE, Regula Ravinder Reddy, along with a memorandum signed by the public.

Widespread opposition

They brought to the notice of the Minister that locals had "overwhelmingly opposed" the UCIL proposal at the environmental public hearing held on August 19, 2003.

"Keeping in view the right to clean drinking water, sustainable development and precautionary principle, the Minister has been requested that the proposal be rejected outright, having due regard to the public opinion," they maintained.

Rally taken out

Led by K.Satyalaxmi, K. Sajaya and K. Saraswathi of MAUP, Subba Rao of HRF, Sheikbabu of JVV and the Alagadapa sarpanch, Venepalli Panduranga Rao, they took out a rally to Collectorate, where they submitted a memorandum to Joint Collector B. Sridhar.

The Devarakonda MLA of the CPI, Ravinder Kumar, who joined the protesters at the Collectorate, told reporters that the Government should not entertain any proposal from the UCIL.

"The locals are up in arms against the project and their anger was evident during the three public hearings held by the PCB," he maintained.

Dr. Satylaxmi said that demonstrations would be held in Hyderabad and New Delhi in protest against the experts committee meeting at New Delhi.

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