1 week ago
Villagers Seek Quarry Hearing Near Affected Kavkukunta Sites
Officials plan to hold a meeting about a proposed granite quarry on September 10.
The meeting is scheduled at the Vommali Jagannadhapuram panchayat office.
Villagers want it held in Kavkukunta instead because it is close to the proposed quarry site.
People from nearby villages say existing quarries have damaged homes, hills, crops and other structures.
They also say white dust from quarrying settles on their fields.
Villagers remember promises of schools, medical camps, trees and other help from quarry companies.
They say these promises were not kept.
Community leaders want senior officials to visit the villages and see the problems themselves.
Officials scheduled the environmental hearing for September 10 at 11 a.m. at the Vommali Jagannadhapuram panchayat office.
Affected villagers want the hearing moved to Kavkukunta, about 600 metres from Amar Granite’s proposed excavation site.
Residents say nine existing granite quarries have damaged homes, structures, hills and crops through dust and mining activity.
Villagers allege quarry operators failed to deliver promised facilities, including medical camps, school construction, tree planting and CSR support.
Community leaders have urged the Anakapalli joint collector and pollution-control officials to visit the affected villages and address their grievances.
- Who
- Residents of Kavkukunta, Buddi Banda and Kommiri villages, along with CPM district executive committee member K. Govinda Rao and Girijana Sangham leader Solamu Rajababu.
- What
- Villagers are seeking to relocate an environmental public hearing on Amar Granite’s proposed quarrying project and are demanding action over alleged damage from existing quarries.
- Where
- The proposed excavation site is near Kavkukunta village, near Uralova in Anakapalli district. Officials scheduled the hearing at the Vommali Jagannadhapuram panchayat office.
- When
- The hearing is scheduled for September 10 at 11 a.m.; quarrying in the area began in 2003 and has continued for 23 years, according to residents.
- Why
- Villagers say Kavkukunta is closer to the affected site and that quarrying has caused property damage, crop losses, dust pollution and unfulfilled development promises.
Key facts
- Proposed operator
- Amar Granite
- Scheduled hearing
- September 10 at 11 a.m.
- Scheduled venue
- Vommali Jagannadhapuram panchayat office
- Requested venue
- Kavkukunta village
- Distance to proposed site
- Approximately 600 metres
- Existing quarry activity
- Residents say nine granite quarries operate in the Uralova revenue area.
- Mining history
- Galaxy Rock began quarrying in 2003, followed by 10 other organisations.
- Reported impacts
- Villagers cite demolished structures, destroyed homes, crop losses, white dust and levelled hills.
Sources
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