NAGARKURNOOL: Commercial activity at Amrabad, Padara and Munnanoor villages in Nagarkurnool district was brought to a stand still due to the bandh called by Congress and other civil society organisations, demanding the State and Central governments not to go ahead with uranium mining in the area. Activists, including Congress workers, staged massive rallies in each of the villages. One of them was on the Hyderabad-Srisailam highway.
Speaking at the bund in Achampet, DCC Nagarkurnool president and former MLA C Vamshi Krishna said, “The Nallamalla forests are like the Ooty of Telangana. It has such rich history and is very important to Telangana’s culture. It is shameful that the State and Central governments are planning to destroy it. This region will become a desert if uranium exploration is allowed here,” he said. Krishna warned that more agitations would follow if the State and Centre do not change their minds. He was arrested by the police and released later in the day.
Pavan Kalyan joins fight
Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan on Monday announced that he would join hands with opposition parties in fighting against the proposed uranium mining in Nallamala forest area. Jana Sena supremo made the announcement after senior Congress leader and former Rajya Sabha member V Hanumath Rao called on him at his party office and requested him to join the fight against the proposed uranium mining.
Pavan assured him that he would join the opposition team to stop government from undertaking the uranium mining project. “I will talk to experts and plan protests against the proposed uranium mining. Uranium mining will lead to a lot of health and environment issues. Hence, it cannot be allowed in the State,” he said. Since uranium mining has already led to a lot of health issues in Kadapa district, it cannot be allowed in Nallamala forest area, he added.