HYDERABAD: The picturesque hill rock formation of the Pranahitha Godavari valley of the Pakhal basin face an existential threat from opencast mining being carried out at a distance of mere 500 metres for the past three years. Formed between the middle and late proterozoic era, these formations are a part of the Pakhal basin and extend from Telangana and Madhya Pradesh to Maharashtra. Jayashankar-Bhupalapally and Mulugu districts, which are part of the Pakhal basin, have hillocks like Pandavulagutta, Kapuramgutta and many more, which continue to give breathtaking views of magnificent rock formations.
Kapuramgutta is one such formation where three hillocks were used as security points by the rulers of the Kakatiya dynasty, putting them in an advantageous position when the rulers of Delhi Sultanate were trying to conquer their kingdom. Kakatiyan kings built water harvesting structures like check-dams, ponds and wells on those hillocks and built fortified walls and a Venkateshwara temple on one of the hillocks. The caves acted as a shelter to accommodate hundreds of soldiers inside them. One of the wonders here is the 500-metre-long wall formed naturally.
However, the last three years of opencast mining with all permissions happening just 500 metres away from these hillocks has posed an existential threat to them. “Heavy blasting is being done close to the hillocks, causing cracks in the walls and temple. It can be recalled that in 2012, explosives used for Devadula canal construction six kilometre away had resulted in cracks in the Ramappa temple. One can imagine what can happen to these naturally formed red sandstone formations if this continues,” said Aravind Arya, from Orugallu Wildlife Society.
In the past, similar quarrying efforts were made near Pandavulagutta in Regonda mandal of Mulugu district, which was met with stiff resistance from activists and the general public, forcing the then government to halt the mining efforts. However, a threat looms large, as sites like these have not been listed as protected heritage or geological monuments.
ANCIENT STRUCTURES
Kakatiyan kings built water harvesting structures like check-dams, ponds and wells on hillocks and built fortified walls and a Venkateshwara temple on one of the hillocks