Tension prevailed at KK-2 mine grounds in Mandamarri on Wednesday when leaders of the Congress, CPI and TRS, along with the villagers, tried to disrupt public hearing on open cast mining proposed in the area.
However, the hearing was held amidst tight security after arresting the protestors.
Chennur MLA N Odallu, CPI MLA Gunda Mallesh and Pedapally MP G Vivek led the protest.
Even before the public hearing began, the trio staged a demonstration at the venue in protest against the open cast mining stating that it would ruin the lives of farmers and people in the place.
Ryots will lose cultivable land, the TRS leaders said. Ground water levels will also deplete and the dust from the mines will cause various skin diseases, the Congress MP said and wanted the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) authorities to abandon its proposal.
Soon police entered the scene and arrested the protestors and shifted them to police station.
When the hearing was underway, the villagers obstructed the speech of district collector Dr A Ashok saying that they were not being given any chance to express their views on OCPs.
The SCCL management said they have closed the KK2, SMG-1, SMG-1A and SMG-3 undergound mines recently, even while 35 million tonne of coal was available. Of the 45 million tonne available in these mines, only 10 million tonne has been extracted, they said.
The remaining would be extracted through open cast mining, the SCCL officials said, adding that the OCP will have to work for 19 years with 872 workers for the purpose.