The Central government has on Thursday reportedly gave its final approval for the allotment of 1,212 hectares of the forest land in Chintapalli and Jerrela reserve forests of Narsipatnam forest division in Vizaf district to the AP Mineral Development Corporation Limited (APMDC) for the purpose of mining bauxite.
APMDC:
According to the state government's GO which was issued on Thursday, the Union environment and forests ministry has given the permission to the principal chief conservator of forests for this diversion of the land to APMDC. The clearance was accorded as per the Section-2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act of 1980.
The clearance comes amid very stiff opposition from the tribals in the Agency, which has been led by Maoists, as well as those who are all opposed to bauxite mining and is expected to trigger another round of agitations.TDP fought against YSR government then against mining here and carried agitations all the time when in opposition.
The GO added that compensatory afforestation of non-forest land that is equal to the extent of forest land being diverted would be raised and maintained by APMDC. The order also states that in consultation with the state forest department, the government should implement social management plan here in a phased manner!
