The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Girijans take pledge to oppose bauxite mining

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Thursday, May 08, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Girijans take pledge to oppose bauxite mining

Special Correspondent

VISAKHAPATNAM: Girijans and Girijan employees in the plain areas decided to take the revolutionary Alluri Sitarama Raju, who led the “Manyam Pituri” against the British rulers in the Visakha agency area, as an inspiration to fight against bauxite mining in the agency area. Members of the district committee of the Girijana Sangham and the Girijan Employees Union gathered near the statue of Alluri Sitarama Raju at Seetammadhara here on Wednesday on the occasion of his birth anniversary and took a pledge to oppose bauxite mining which was being taken up by the Government in spite of strong opposition from the Girijans, farmers and all other sections.

They warned the Government that they would launch a direct action if the Government did not withdraw its move.

The bauxite mining in the agency area as well as the alumina refineries to be established in the Makavaripalem and S. Kota mandals to refine the bauxite ore would destroy the life of Girijans, their culture, the rich flora and fauna of the agency area, dry up and pollute the water sources and cause a lot of pollution, while the farmers would be uprooted from their lands and a large area and atmosphere around the refineries would be polluted. But the Government was keen to go ahead with the mining and refineries to be set up by the Rus Al Khaimha and Jindal, the leaders said.

As the Girijans and people in plain areas were facing a great danger, it was necessary to launch a directaction, leaders of the associations said.

Vice-presidents of Girijan Employees Union Lasangi Radhakrishna and Bhairagi Murthy, working president A.T. Venkateswarlu, general secretary of AU ST Employees Union Rama Rao, Ch. Simhachalam of Girijana Sangham, T. Chittibabu and Nagaraju of Railway ST Employees Union and others participated.

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