SRIKAKULAM: As many as 1200 residents of Punnam and Batuva villagers in G. Sigadam mandal of Srikakulam district have raised strong objections on Geo-Coordinates and soil testing for manganese exploration in a 152-hectare block.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Punnam & Batuva villagers alleged that Vedanta Limited company has extended its operations beyond the officially approved boundaries, entering agricultural fields currently under cultivation.
Farmers expressed grave concern that unauthorised drilling, borewell operations, and excavation could damage standing crops, degrade soil quality, and affect water resources, thereby threatening their primary source of livelihood.
“These farmlands are our only means of survival, and no company should enter without legal permission or our consent,” villagers said.
Residents urged officials to verify whether the survey numbers and boundaries approved by the Mandal Revenue Office (MRO) match the areas where testing is being carried out.
They demanded immediate suspension of all mining and testing activities beyond permitted lands and called for strict legal action if unauthorised operations are confirmed.
The villagers also appealed for government supervision to ensure that crops, farmland, and water resources remain protected and requested to conduct joint inspections from Revenue, Mines & Geology, and related departments with clear communication to locals about the actual situation.
“Immediate orders should be issued to prevent any testing, drilling, or excavation in cultivated lands until the investigation is completed,” they said.
According to the villagers, of the 152-hectare, nearly 139 hectares block comprise farmers’ patta land, while the remaining is government land. The geo-coordinates of Batuva and Ponnam villages fall within this block, they added.
G. Sigadam Tahsildar M. Saritha said “A team from IIT Bhubaneswar visited Ponnam village on October 2, 2026 for mineral identification and geo-coordination testing, when villagers objected, the team left the site,” she said.
Saritha clarified that only after mineral identification in the specified block will further proceedings be reported as per official guidelines.
The villagers have reiterated their demand for strict enforcement of boundaries and protection of agricultural rights, and warned that unchecked exploration could jeopardize both farming and local water resources.