BRS alleges illegal mining near Himayatsagar by Min Ponguleti
BRS leaders on Thursday alleged that the presence of a specific container provides live proof that a mining scam is linked to Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, claiming that operators changed the container colours and signs overnight following an inspection by their team. A BRS fact-finding team visited the alleged illegal crusher units and mining activities taking place in the surroundings of Himayatsagar. The team examined operations in survey numbers 66, 67, 68, and 69. The delegation included MLC D Sravan Kumar, general secretary RS Praveen Kumar, M Krishank, and P Karthik Reddy.
The BRS leaders remarked that there is no worse bankruptcy than changing the colour and name on a container to evade detection. They asserted that Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, who allegedly demolished the homes of the poor in Khammam using bulldozers, should be held accountable for this illegal mining. D Sravan Kumar claimed the situation at the site resembled the movie KGF, alleging that the earth was being ruthlessly exploited and natural resources looted indiscriminately. He stated that hills were being blasted and wealth extracted from broken hillocks, making the operation resemble a cinematic plunder.
D Sravan Kumar pointed out that the area falls under the GO 111 zone, where mining activities are strictly prohibited. Despite this, crusher units were operating by blatantly violating all rules.
He stated that several statutory permissions are mandatory to operate such units, including a mining lease, a quarry permit, a no-objection certificate from the gram panchayat, environmental clearance, and permission from the groundwater department. Usually, at least nine different approvals are required before establishing a unit, yet many appear to be functioning without these. He further stated that a crusher unit previously shut down had been reopened and demanded the government clarify who transferred the lease and who granted permission for its revival. He also noted that mining activities are not allowed within a one-kilometre radius of the Outer Ring Road, yet the crusher units in this area are reportedly located within that distance, raising serious questions about how they were permitted to operate.
The team insisted that a transparent investigation must be conducted into the administrative failures that allowed these blatant violations to continue despite repeated complaints from local residents.
