Uranium exploration: villagers boycott meeting with officials

Farmers and villagers of Kappatralla and nearby villages in Devanakonda mandal of the district boyotted the proposed meeting by the revenue, mining, forest and other departments to educate the people on the uranium exploration in the forest area at Kappatralla.

The protesting villagers staged a dharna at the Edulla Devarabanda junction in Devanakonda mandal on the Kurnool-Ballari road leading to a huge traffic jam. The demanded that the government drop its proposal for uranium exploration in the reserve forest area at Kappatralla.

Officials of revenue, mining, forest, and police proposed the meeting to get feedback and concerns of the people on uranium mining in the area. The team of officials reached the place but the locals refused to interact with them and boycotted the meet.

Meanwhile, a team of the protesting villagers met district in-charge Minister Nimmala Rama Naidu, who was on a visit to the district, in Kurnool city and sought immediate cancellation of the permissions given for uranium exploration. Mr. Rama Naidu assured to take up the issue to the notice of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and to do justice to the farmers and villagers.