A four-member expert committee appointed by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) will be visiting the proposed bauxite mining areas in Chintapalle and Anantagiri mandals in Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, on December 20 and 21. The committee will also hold discussions with representatives of various NGOs and government officials. Sources said the members of the committee consisting of chairman and former director- general of forests and former chairman of National Environment Appellate Authority (NEAA) JC Kala, former principal chief conservator of forests M Kamala Naidu, Tribal Cultural Research and Training Institute former director VNVK Sastry and Director-General of Administrative Staff College of India SK Rao will visit the mining areas.

During the visit, the four member committee will examine the socio-economic impact of bauxite mining, remedial measures, availability and requirement of bauxite mines, MoU between Andhra Pradesh Mining Development Corporation (APMDC), Jindal South West Holding Limited and Anrak Alumina Company among others.

On the other hand there is stiff opposition in these areas over the proposal. The all party anti-mining protestors feel that the safe guard of tribes living in these areas may be affected by the proposal. In protest to the said visit the anti- mining has called for a total bandh on these two days. Even the protestors have blocked all roads leading to the area by axing huge trees and placing them across the roads. As of now the whole place is in a chaotic situation with the traffic stranded at many places.

Earlier a preliminary survey conducted a decade ago had revealed that the hill ranges in the two districts have an estimated 700 million tonnes of bauxite. And the former Chief Minister, Late         Shri Y S Rajasekhara Reddy had even went on to find suitors for the venture and even finalized certain pacts. However, the project turned a non-starter following a hue and cry over the alleged violation of the Regulation 1 of 70 of the Andhra Tribal Land Transfer (Prevention) Act and the fears over the threat posed to the Girijan lifestyle and the eco-system of the Eastern Ghats.

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