Mancherial district prone to pollution by opencast mines

Srirampur opencast mine in Adilabad

The new district Mancherial is more prone to pollution due to opencast mines and industries of ceramic in the area.

The soil removed from opencast mines piled up at various places in the coal belt areas and causing health problems in Srirampur, Mancherial, Mandamarri , Kasipet, Thandur, Rebbena and Goleti areas under all the five opencast mines which are now part of Mancherial district to be named after Adivasi legendary Kumram Bheem.

The opencast mines Srirampur, Ramakrishnapur, Dorli I and II, Khairiguda are functional. New opencast mine Kalyanikhani at Erraguntapalle in Manadamarri was proposed.

Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) has conducted surveys for new opencast mines at various places in Asifabad and Sirpur (T) Assembly constituencies. Singareni is planning to establish opencast mines near Movvad and Jodeghat area.    

    

On the other hand, coal ash emerges as a by-product of the thermal power project established at Jaipur mandal in the Mancherial district being created.

A large number of people have already suffered from respiratory health problems including asthma and lung problems with the existing opencast mines. The Singareni is planning new opencast mines in the area which comes under the Mancherial district.

The temperatures are high in the coal belt area as the coal gets heat during the summer and people experience highest temperatures.

Comparatively, the temperatures are low in Adilabad and Nirmal with the huge forest cover and no opencast mines and industries emanate pollution. These two places are now being carved out as new districts.

Villagers of Erraguntapalle have been agitating for long time opposing the opencast mining coming up in their village in Mandamarri.

One can see the piled up soil looks like hills causing pollution in the area and opencast mines resulted in the drastic fall in the ground water, sinking tanks, hitting the agriculture, drinking water problem and losing fertile agriculture lands in addition to the health problems.

The opencast mines also cause displacement of Adivasis from their traditional habitat that is forest areas and creates unrest among them by making them laborers.