Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 150
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 151
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Andhra silica mining units protest land acquisition for SEZ by Dilip Kumar Jha

Andhra silica mining units protest land acquisition for SEZ by Dilip Kumar Jha

Share this article Share this article
published Published on Nov 22, 2010   modified Modified on Nov 22, 2010

Investments worth Rs 100 crore in silica sand mining and beneficiation in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh are in jeopardy due to the state government’s insistence on acquiring the mineral-bearing land for developing a Special Economic Zone (SEZ), protests the Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (Fimi).

The Institute of Indian Foundrymen wrote to the Union mining ministry early this month, urging its intervention. There is no alternative area nearby for mining of silica sand and the mining operations cannot be relocated, it protested. Fimi likewise petitioned the ministry last month. Spread over 1,200 hectares of eight villages of Chillakur mandal and two villages of Kota mandal in Gudur division, nearly 100 small mining companies will have to surrender their land holdings to the state government. This will not only bury the entire 50 million tonnes of silica deposits in the region but also make its availability scarce, affecting hundreds of foundry units in the area, said S B S Chouhan, advisor to Fimi.

Silica sand is the major raw material used by foundries for making moulds to pour molten metal to cast the intricate metal components for use in practically all industrial sectors.

“An SEZ can be shifted elsewhere. Once construction takes place on this land, minerals will be buried underground, which makes no sense. Excavation in about a dozen of mines here should be allowed. Once the minerals exhaust in these mines, the government can go ahead with the SEZ,” said Chouhan.

Silica miners, processors, traders and suppliers to foundries directly employ 500,000 people and another 1.5 million indirectly, mostly from poorer sections, he claimed.

The leaseholders had earlier approached the local court after revenue authorities issued notices to them in April 2008 to allot the land to the proposed SEZ. The court had ordered a stay on land acquisition. Earlier, in February 2002, the industries and commerce department had asked the mines and geology department not to allot lands having mineral wealth for any purpose other than mining.

The same department, however, revoked its order in April 2007 and asked the mines wing to stop renewing or granting leases and get the existing ones cancelled.


The Business Standard, 23 November, 2010, http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/andhra-silica-mining-units-protest-land-acquisition-for-sez/415788/


Related Articles

 

Write Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

Video Archives

Archives

share on Facebook
Twitter
RSS
Feedback
Read Later

Contact Form

Please enter security code
      Close