Uranium project stirs up girijans

​Nalgonda: The Uranium Corporation of India Ltd (UCIL) proposes to set up an open pit and three underground mines in Nalgonda district. It plans a central plant about 48 km from the mine site based on acid leaching.

The UCIL decision comes in the wake of a large uranium resource which has been established at Lambapur-Peddagattu region of the district. The corporation is said to be preparing to take up uranium mining in Chandampet and P A Palli mandals. This is causing anxiety among the girijans residents of the two mandals.

Girijans in the Devarakonda area have been scared during the last 15 years at the mere mention of uranium, which was found during 1998-99 in a survey taken up by a satellite in Lambapur of PA Palli mandal, Peddagattu and Chintriyala of Chandampet mandal. The survey found that there was 11.02 tonnes of uranium in 1,326 acres.

Since then the corporation has been making efforts to unearth urnium, samples of which it secured in 2003. The burning of machines which secured the samples by the Maoists, who were opposed to the mining, had caused a sensation then.

The plans of UCIL to unearth uranium in the two mandals are once again agitating the girijans, who prevented securing of the samples in 2009. They not only burnt the machines, but also resorted to attacks on UCIL workers using axes and stones.

However in 2012, the corporation took up drilling for over two months to secure uranium samples on a largescale after setting up camps in Chintriyala, Peddamul, Kothapalli Hills in Chandampet mandal and in Lambapur, Peddagutta in P A Palli mandal.

Keeping this in view, local residents, environmentalists and doctors point out that excavation for uranium could contaminate the Krishna water, as the reserves are said to be in the areas where the river flows. Some residents told The Hans India that the finding of uranium in the area will do more harm than good. They point out that there is a danger of the remains of hills to be crushed for securing uranium reaching the Nagarjunasagar water.

The residents reiterated their resolve to oppose the UCIL exploration recalling that they had done so in the past. While expressing anguish, they stated that they have been opposing uranium exploration for over 15 years. They recall that already they had lost lands in the construction of Nagarjunasagar dam 60 years back because of which they have had to migrate to villages in the two mandals.

“If a uranium project comes up here where are we supposed to go,” questions a resident. However, residents like Senavath Shankar of Peddagattu say that they are prepared to shift only if the administration protects their interests in all respects. Ramavath Sakru of Limbapur stated that the people were not ready to be displaced by the uranium project, having already been affected by the Nagarjunasagar dam.

Similarly, human rights and people’s organisations have threatened to join residents in opposing uranium exploration. In the context of the opposition, it remains to be seen whether the corporation would go ahead with the exploratory work. State Human Rights Forum secretary Gosula Mohan told The Hans India that there have been efforts in other countries to find an alternative source to uranium.

He warns of the danger of uranium getting mixed with Nagarjunasagar water, as the backwaters of the Krishna flow through the Nallamala forests which have large reserves of uranium. This would result in causing health problems to the people.

Dr Matya Naik of Nalgonda Government Hospital speaking to The Hans India warned that consumption of the contaminated Krishna water would cause cancer to the residents of Lambapur and Peddagattu areas. He said there was a danger of water in the Akkampalli reservoir getting contaminated when uranium excavation work is taken up.

The doctor pointed out that already the girijans have been afflicted with ailments caused by consumption of fluoride water. Their problems would get compounded by taking water with traces of uranium.