VIJAYAWADA: Stating that there is no truth in the allegations levelled by TDP supremo and Leader of the Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu that approvals were given for mining bauxite in the name of laterite, Director of Mines and Geology (DMG) VG Venkata Reddy on Wednesday made it clear that bauxite mining was not going on in the State.
He brushed aside the charge of Naidu on illegal transportation of 600 truck loads of laterite to Bharathi Cements. Stating that no special approvals were given to mine bauxite in the name of laterite, he said laterite and bauxite are different minerals and used in aluminium and cement industries.
The Geological Survey of India identified that the mineral available in Narsipatnam, Chintapalli and surrounding areas of Visakhapatnam district as laterite, not bauxite, as being alleged. Approvals were given for six lessees to mine laterite in Visakhapatnam before 2019, he said.
It was the previous government, which gave environmental clearance for the laterite quarries. Only 88 kg of laterite is used to produce a tonne of cement. Eleven cement industries apart from Bharathi Cements are purchasing laterite. The total production of laterite is less than 600 truck loads (12,000 tonnes) in AP, he clarified.