AnRak Aluminium, a company of the government of Ras al-Khaimah of the United Arab Emirates and Penna Cement of AP has secured approval for both an aluminium complex and a bauxite mines in the Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh, but the final forest clearance for the mines is awaited. The AnRak project has replicated the Vedanta model of first building the refinery and then setting up the mine. The mine is to be operated by the state government to circumvent the ban on non-tribal landownership.
Opponents allege that the state government has disregarded the huge environmental and social impact and popular protests against mining bauxite in the Jerrela Hills, inhabited almost exclusively by adivasi tribes who will be displaced (1).
Construction is now in progress at the site in Makavarapalem in Visakhapatnam district though the construction of roads and other infrastructure for the mines remains incomplete due to significant local opposition.
The surrounding villages remain within metres of the proposed site and its polluting activities. Another concern for local residents and Visakhapatnam city residents is the 38 million litres of water per day that has been allocated to AAL from the controversial Polavaram project (GVMC But Visakhapatnam city is already starved of water and since the Polavaram project is mired in litigation, it is not certain when, or if, there will be any water available at all.
The people of Visakhapatnam district demand that the Andhra Pradesh government should not allow bauxite mining. An all-party committee opposing the mining called for the shutdown to protest Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddys visit to Paderu.
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