VISAKHAPATNAM: As many as 300 residents of Terapalli village, including Konda Dora and Bagatha tribals, have expressed grave concern over the operation of a white stone quarry in Chintapalli mandal of Alluri Sitharama Raju district.
The quarry, which has been functioning for nearly a decade, is alleged to have caused severe health and environmental problems for the tribal community.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, a 33-year-old Konda Dora tribal youth said that quarry blasts have left cracks in their houses and filled the air with dust, leading to respiratory diseases and crop damage. “Our children are terrified by the blast sounds. The pressure from the explosions has damaged our homes, and the polluted air has made life unbearable,” he said.
Residents also alleged that the quarry was started without the mandatory approval of the Gram Sabha, and that the landowners of Lakshmi ST Mining & Leasing Labour Contract Mutually Aided Co-operative Society Ltd. obtained signatures without any formal resolution from the village. “At that time, we did not realise such serious problems would arise in the future,” a villager said.
A 40-year-old Bagatha tribal said that despite submitting multiple grievances to the district collector and concerned officials, no action has been taken.
“Every day, police officials come along with quarry operators to convince us to withdraw our protests. Instead of supporting us, they are threatening us to compromise,” he alleged.
The tribal youth of Terapalli stated that the fight against quarry mining has become a struggle for survival and that they continue to demand accountability.
The villagers also requested the Alluri Sitharama Raju district collector to personally visit Terapalli village, stop the quarry operations, and arrange a medical health camp to assess the impact on the community.