VIJAYAWADA: Acting on the allegations of illegal mining activity in Guntur district and the recent High Court rap, the State Government on Tuesday ordered a CID probe into the illegal quarrying of limestone in the district and suspended two mining department officials.
The government entrusted the probe to the CID after the Guntur Collector submitted a report about illegal quarrying in Konanki village of Piduguralla mandal and Kesanupalli and Nadikudi villages of Dachepalli mandal in the district estimated at 31,30,419 metric tonnes resulting in a loss of revenue to the government in the form of seigniorage fee/royalty and penalty.
The Collector stated that cases were registered after a preliminary investigation conducted by the Mines Department identified the role of 17 persons in the illegal mining activity. As the issue had its tentacles spread across various departments and across a long period of time under different circumstances, the district administration had recommended probe by a special investigation team.
Following this, the government entrusted the case to the CID. Meanwhile, the government placed B Jagannadha Rao, assistant director of Mines & Geology, Dachepalli, Guntur district, and G Papa Rao, DDM&G, Guntur and ADM&G(Vigilance), under suspension for their failure to prevent illegal mining of limestone in Konanki village of Piduguralla mandal and Nadikudi and Kesanupalli villages of Dachepalli mandal in Guntur.
Illegal limestone quarrying: Govt suspends two mining officials
Meanwhile, the government placed B Jagannadha Rao, Assistant Director of Mines & Geology, Dachepalli, Guntur district, and G Papa Rao, DDM&G, Guntur and ADM&G(Vigilance.), under suspension for their failure to discharge their duties in preventing illegal mining of limestone in Konanki village of Piduguralla mandal and Nadikudi and Kesanupalli villages of Dachepalli mandal in Guntur district.
“Both the officials shall not leave the headquarters without obtaining prior permission from the government,” the orders said.It may be recalled that the High Court, which heard the case based on a petition filed by former MLC TGV Krishna Reddy two years ago, had recently wrapped the State government for its inaction on the illegal mining in Gurajala area and impleaded suo motu the Comptroller and Auditor General, the CBI and the Union mining department to probe into the illegal mining issue.
Gurajala TDP MLA Yerapatineni Srinivasa Rao is facing allegations that he was behind the illegal activity and Monday’s foiled attempt of a fact-finding team of Opposition YSRC leaders to visit the mining areas had heated up the issue. With this, the government ordered a CID probe and placed the officials under suspension.
Two officials suspended
The State Government has suspended two mining officials. Preliminary probe revealed the involvement of 17 people in illegal limestone mining in the district.