Hyderabad: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday urged the chief secretary (CS) of Andhra Pradesh to take immediate action against the illegal granite mining mafia based on the latest orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
In a letter to the CS, Naidu said that the NGT southern region’s order sought firm steps against mining violators in Survey numbers 104 and 213 in Muddanapalli village in Shantipuram Mandal in Chittoor district.
The TDP chief said that the Tribunal had already confirmed the illegal mining that took place in the village. The NGT also ordered the CS, Additional CS (department of the environment), and Chittoor’s collector to hold spot inspections, as well as to scientifically measure the extent of illegal mining already done there.
Naidu said that the Tribunal had asked the CS to submit a report of complete details of the violators. It further instructed the Collector to ensure no further illegal mining and transportation takes place in the area.
Chandrababu Naidu told the CS that the illegal granite mining was exposed only after he personally visited the spot. It said, “During that visit, I saw heavy machinery and granite blocks. There was also evidence that the ruling Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders and bigwigs were involved in this.”
The Tribunal had also found fault with reports submitted by officials on illegal mining and asked them to submit detailed reports afresh.
Naidu termed it unfortunate that such indiscriminate illegal mining was going on in the Kuppam assembly constituency represented by the Leader of the Opposition and former chief minister for 14 years.
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