Illegal gravel mining rampant in Palasa

Srikakulam: Illegal gravel mining is rampant in Padmanabhapuram village near Palasa town. The land, where mining is going on, is assigned land and recently, the State government planned to allot it for a super speciality hospital with 200 beds strength and research centre on kidney diseases.

As kidney ailment prevailed more in Uddanam area, the government planned to establish a research centre to serve better to kidney patients. The State government has also allotted Rs 50 crore funds for this purpose in the current year budget. Previously Palasa YSRCP MLA S Appala Raju and Tekkali revenue divisional officer (RDO) K Bhaskar Reddy inspected the site.

They directed local revenue officials to level the land by removing bushes. Taking this direction as advantage, locally influenced persons are mining gravel from here by digging into deep with earth movers every day.

Concerned mines and revenue officials turned a blind eye on it though they knew about the illegal mining of gravel. The gravel miners are selling the material for Rs 450 for per tractor load and for Rs 2,200 per tipper load.

Based on the demand from local area, the gravel miners are cashing the situation by collecting huge amount. Besides Padmanabhapuram, illegal gravel mining is rampant at Sudikonda and Nemalipuram also. Against the illegal mining, Mahaprastanam Youth Association president B Santosh Kumar lodged a complaint with Palasa tahasildar Bapi Raju. Responding on it, tahsildar assured to prevent the gravel mining by initiating inquiry.