Nathavaram tribals divided over support to later

VISAKHAPATNAM: Ahead of the public hearing on the proposed laterite mining at Nathavaram mandal in the district, mining mafia is making all efforts to create a wedge among the tribals to seek support for the public hearing on the issue scheduled to be held at Erakannapalem village on Thursday.A group of mining mafia has been campaigning at Sundarakota, Pathasiripuram and KothaSiripuram villages in Nathavaram mandal stating that laterite mining would promote development in tribal areas and boost income of tirbals.The mining mafia is also allegedly distributing money and liquor to tribals to seek their support during the public hearing to be conducted by the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board headed by joint collector M Girija Shankar.Sources said till recently all the tribals were against laterite mining but with money and liquor flowing, the mining mafia has succeeded in splitting the tribals.Tribals of Sundarakota, Pathasiripuram and KothaSiripuram were reportedly supporting laterite mining while those of Bhamidika, Sarugudu, Erakannapalem and few other villages were fiercely opposing it.Laterite mining came into the spotlight after tribals of Nathavaram mandal staged a protest demonstration demanding the government to immediately revoke the lease granted to one J Lakshmana Rao to mine laterite in 121 hectares at Sarugudu panchayat in the district few months back.Lakshmana Rao, an auto-rickshaw driver in Koyyuru mandal, has little means to invest `80 lakh in a laterite mine.The Andhra Pradesh Girijan Sanghama lodged a complaint with the revenue authorities against the illegal mining activity and also against the officials who were trying to push benami applications.Mining mafia is campaigning in tribal villages promising to lay roads, provide drinking water and other basic amenities if they support laterite mining.Girijans were convinced by promises as they feel the government failed to provide basic amenities to them.