TJAC to launch agitation against opencast mines

Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) chairman M. Kodandaram said they will launch a peaceful agitation against the opencast mines in the state and JAC will not stop its agitation activities till they achieved people’s genuine rights.

He asked all the elected public representative of the district to mount pressure on the state government to withdraw its plans to establish opencast mines in the district while demanding that state government should clear its stand on establishing opencast mines in the Telangana.

He was addressing the villagers of Erraguntapalle stating protest against establishing KK opencast mine here in Madamarri.

Kodandram said it was unfortunate that people were forced to fight against the opencast mines even in Telangana state but the same people supported and agitated for the formation of the separate Telangana state with the hope that opencast mines will be stopped in the new state.

Villagers of Erraguntapalle in Mandamari mandal smashed the foundation stone of coal handling plant of the Kalyani Khani opencast mine to be established at KK opencast mine by the Singareni in Mandamarri. 

The villagers who attempted to remove the shed withdrew their plans when Kodandaram asked them not to indulge in violence instead fight peacefully.

The agitators first took out a protest rally to GM office in Mandamarri from Erraguntapalle and later they staged a rasta roko with the goats and sheep at Yapal bus stand for 45minutes. Local police and some CISF police personnel monitored the situation all along the protest.              

The Singareni management has cancelled the programme of foundation stone to the proposed opencast mine to the KK mine scheduled today. The Eraguntapalle village will disappear with the establishment of KK opencast mine. 

The coal handling plant is being established with Rs 24 crore in 700 acres of Singareni land. The Kalyani Khani opencast mine will be established on 2,200 acres in Mandamarri.