Government Denies Plans for Bauxite Mining in Visakhapatnam Agency Region

Local authorities in Visakhapatnam have formally addressed concerns regarding potential bauxite mining operations in the agency region. Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy, the MLA for Madugula, explicitly denied recent allegations suggesting that the state government is facilitating or supporting any mining projects in the area. These claims, raised by several ZPTC members, had alleged that both the state and district administrations were covertly backing mining initiatives and hydropower projects.

During his statement, Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy reaffirmed that the current ruling alliance maintains a long-standing position of opposition toward bauxite mining. He highlighted that past efforts, spearheaded by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, were instrumental in successfully cancelling previous government orders related to such mining operations. The MLA emphasized that no new official government orders have been issued, and he challenged those spreading such rumors to provide concrete evidence to support their assertions.

Clarification on Bauxite Mining Allegations

Further addressing the situation, the MLA noted that the subject has not been brought before the Tribal Advisory Committee. He expressed concern that misinformation is being circulated, which could cause unnecessary anxiety among the local tribal communities. He strongly urged political activists and members of the public to refrain from spreading unverified information, stressing that there is no official administrative movement or project proposal under consideration for bauxite mining in the district.

Providing an administrative perspective, Thirumani Sri Pooja, the Joint Collector for the Alluri Sitarama Raju district, corroborated these statements. She confirmed that no mining-related activities have occurred in the district over the last four years. She clarified that neither the district administration nor the state government has authorized any surveys or mining operations. Furthermore, the district administration currently possesses no record of any surveys being undertaken in the region.

To prevent public confusion and maintain order, the administration has issued a clear directive regarding survey activities. Private agencies or individuals intending to conduct any form of survey must obtain prior authorization and duly inform district officials. A formal letter has also been dispatched to the Geological Survey of India regarding this requirement. Joint Collector Thirumani Sri Pooja issued a stern warning, noting that the administration is prepared to take strict legal action against any entity found conducting unauthorized surveys. Officials continue to appeal to the residents of Visakhapatnam and the surrounding agency areas to disregard unverified claims and rely solely on official communications.