Uranium Factory causes to health hazards to people and crop losses in Kadapa

Kadapa: The Uranium Factory Of Uranium Corporation Of India Limited (UCIL) located in M. Tummalapalli village of Vemula Mandal, not only caused to incurring huge crop losses to the farmers but also people living in mainly in 3 surrounding villages like Kottala, Vemula, Tummalapallu are facing serious health disorders.

People are complaining that due to seepage from the Tailing pond of Uranium mines leading to such a pathetic situation. The UCIL has established its unit in M. Tummalapalli village on 20th November 2007 and started production from 20th April 2012.

Farmers began complaining to the government since early 2018 that due to seepage from the Tailpond of the unit causes to vast pollution of groundwater and also serious health- hazards to the people like T.B, Cancer etc dreadful diseases.

However, after the failure of the UCIL management and government in responding positively over the issue farmers have intensified the agitation under the banners of various organizations to bring the severity of the situation to the notice of the government.

"Our boys are threatening to several diseases. We have no hope of getting profits in cultivation even investing huge amounts due to vast pollution of groundwaters. If the same situation continued for some more time We have no other alternative except to left the villages if the government fails to solve the problem." Said P Ramalinga Reddy a farmer of Vemula told Hans India.

Meanwhile following severe pressure from the public the district administration headed by collector CH Harikiran set up an expert committee comprising agriculture, groundwater, mines and geology departments which visited the Tummalapalli village and sent detail report to the government on June 21, 2018, Kadapa MP Avinash Reddy lodged complaint with Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board as it has issued show-cause notice to the UCIL.

Later on July 17 Kadapa district collector Ch Harikiran conducted a review meeting with UCIL management of which MP Avinash Reddy and people from affected villages attended.

However following the directions of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy the state APPCB has set up an 11 member committee headed by Bombay based Atomic Energy Regulatory Board Nuclear Project Safety Division Head LR Bishnoi, National Geographical Research Institute (NGRI), Hyderabad senior principal scientist Dr. EVSSK Babu, Tirupati IIT civil Environment Engineering division associate assistant professors Dr.Suresh Jain, Dr. Prasanna Venmatesh Sampath, Dr Sibhabuddin, Andra University College of Science and Technology Visakhapatnam Geology Division Head Professor M.Jagan Natha Rao, Physical Chemistry, Nuclear Chemistry, Chemical Oceanography divisional Head Dr.P. Syamala . state Ground Waters, Mines, Agriculture, Horticulture Assistant Directors B.Nageswara Rao, P.Mohan Rao, Balunaik, D.Madhu Sudhan Reddy team schedule to Tummalapalli on 9th & 10th September to study ground reality over the issue.

When contacted by Hans India district collector CH Harikiran said the issue has been already brought to the notice of the government by the administration. " A detail report would be submitted to the Chief Minister on 11th September after 11 member committee visiting the district."