Andhra Pradesh - Others   

Tribals up in arms against bauxite mining project

K. Venkateshwarlu

CPI(M) to take out padayatra from today as part its agitation

Araku (Visakhapatnam): It is a summer of discontent for the hill tribes of this valley of breathtaking beauty often described as Andhra 's Ooty. They are angry and literally up in arms, bracing to take to bow and arrow, to protect their `Adavi Thalli' (mother forest) against the Government's latest move to extract bauxite.

As the caravan of CPI (M) Polit Bureau member B.V. Raghavulu, other leaders and a team of visiting press persons from Hyderabad, trekked far-flung hill ranges and interacted with tribals for two days beginning Wednesday, the voices against the bauxite mining project became shriller.

"Come what may, we will not desert the mother who fed us all through. We will sacrifice our lives to protect her, much like the legendary freedom fighter Alluri Seetharama Raju," chorused Kodu and other primitive tribal group members of Peddagangodi. This tiny village of forty families on the foothills of Galikonda (one of the hills rich in bauxite deposits) near here will be among the first one to be affected when mining begins in right earnest.

CPI(M) support

Mr. Raghavulu got a resounding "no" when he asked them if they want the bauxite project. "Let this voice reach the Government, which in the name of development wants to ruin your livelihood and destroy the environment. We are with you." The Government claim on jobs to tribals was eyewash as the Mines Minister herself said the bauxite mines could only provide 500 jobs. "Our party survey shows 960 tribals have tenth class qualification in Araku mandal alone and 2000 in Anantagiri mandal. Can they provide jobs to all of them. And what about others and the women?"

The company, Jindal South West Holding Limited, has promised 0.5 per cent of the revenue, estimated around Rs. 10 crores for development. Will that be enough? he asked. He went on to question the logic behind handing over the mineral wealth to a private company for export, putting at stake livelihood of thousands of poor tribals.

He announced the party's decision to intensify the struggle and take out a padayatra from these tribals villages to Visakhapatnam city from May 20 to 29.

MoU draws flak

"The agreement (MoU) with Jindal was signed in a hush hush manner without any public debate. There was no gram sabha, no tribal advisory committee meeting, no environment impact assessment and no detailed project report. The Government just wants to bulldoze its way violating every law in the statute."

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