Bauxite mining in agency areas in guise of laterite excavation: Former Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu

Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) [India] : The Telgu Desham Party (TDP) national president, Chandrababu Naidu, on Saturday came down heavily on the Chief Minister, Jagan Mohan Reddy and alleged that in the name of laterite mining, bauxite is being excavated in the agency areas and this bauxite is being shifted to Bharathi Cements, owned by his wife. 

The YSRCP mafia totally razed the North Andhra region to the ground, Chandrababu Naidu said addressing a largely attended public meeting at the hilly area of Araku in Visakhapatnam district organised as part of the ongoing ‘Raa Kadalira’ programme. 

Chandrababu expressed anger at the Jagan Mohan Reddy government for withdrawing the 16 welfare measures implemented during the TDP regime for the progress of the Girijans. 
Assuring the Girijans of introducing much better welfare schemes for their development immediately after the TDP-Jana Sena forms its government, Chandrababu Naidu said that the GO number 3 will be reintroduced. The former chief minister questioned Jagan as to what he has done for the Girijans in these five years except making them suffer without paying even the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for any farm product. 

Observing that the coffee crop grown in Araku is totally different from the crop grown in other areas, he recalled that he introduced the Araku coffee even in Davos when he was the chief minister of the State. “We will take the Araku coffee for the whole world,” he said and regretted that the YSRCP government is promoting Araku as a centre for ganja cultivation. 

Jagan, who claims that he is in favour of social justice by simply installing the statue of Dr BR Ambedkar, is not implementing the GO 3 which will help greatly for the Girijans, he stated. Jagan does not want the Girians to get educated and thus he has withdrawn the NTR Vidyonnathi scheme, he said and observed that during the TDP regime Girijans were encouraged to get coaching for civil services only to see to it that they should become IAS and IPS officers. 

Also, Andhra Pradesh CM has withdrawn the benefit of 20 units free power for the houses of Girijans, Chandrababu said and asked whether pension is being paid for those who have crossed the age of 45 years as promised. Also, what happened to provide housing units for Girijans, he questioned Jagan. 
Maintaining that the agency area has maximum bauxite reserves, he said he has made it clear long ago that the excavation of these reserves is not possible here. 

“But in the guise of laterite excavation, Jagan is now resorting to mining of bauxite and is transporting it to his own company, the Bharati Cements. When the TDP MLAs fought against these excavations illegal cases have been registered against them,” Chandrababu said. 
Roads are in a very bad condition in the Agency areas and it is really pathetic that even pregnant women are being carried by dollys, he said. The condition is so bad that even bodies are carried by two-wheelers as ambulances are not available, he regretted. 

Promising safe drinking water to every doorstep as soon as the TDP-Jana Sena combine forms the coming government, Chandrababu Naidu assured them that Araku will be promoted as a tourist destination thus creating employment to the locals. The TDP supremo also promsied to solve the issues of Anganwadis, who are now on an agitational path demanding solution to their problems. 

Chandrababu called upon the people to work for the victory of the TDP and the Jana Sena in the upcoming elections.