Hyderabad HC asks Andhra officials to investigate illegal mining in reserve forest area

The Hyderabad High Court ordered the MSP Granites Company to stop all mining activity in Andhra's Vizianagaram district for the next one week, after allegations of illegal mining by the company in the Sangamavalasa reserve forest area.

According to reports, the HC asked authorities to conduct an enquiry into the allegations and submit a report to it. 

The New Indian Express reported that the court was hearing a PIL filed by one M Prakash, who claimed that the company was mining in areas that it was not given permission for, and authorities remained mute spectators. 

The TNIE report adds that the authorities were directed to submit a report by April 25, when the next hearing would come up. 

This comes after the HC took up the case in the first week of April.

"Though the company got licence to take up mining activity in Kori village, it is indulging in illegal mining activity at Mulaga with the help of authorities of the district," the petitioner had alleged.

However, the company denied all the allegations.

The HC had then ordered the District Collector to send a team of officials to the area, to check any irregularities. 

In October last year, a Joint Action Committee (JAC) consisting of several groups, including the YSRCP alleged that the TDP had given permission to the company to mine in a reserve forest area.

However, a TDP district committee refuted the allegations. 

According to reports, the TDP also claimed that the process for the mining lease, which would be valid for 20 years, started during the Congress rule in the state. They also added that the company had obtained environmental clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests.