The Hindu | July 18, 2006 | K. Venkateshwarlu

HYDERABAD: For the motley group of poor tribal youth from the remote hilltop hamlets of Visakhapatnam district who had not even seen the port city, landing straight in Stuttgart in Germany was an “unforgettable experience”.

“It was simply out of the world. The sprawling school campuses, the huge buildings, spic and span streets and vast stretches of greenery. Meeting youth from other countries besides learning creative ways of teaching children was indeed a lifetime experience,” says Gangayamma, 19-year- old teacher of a tribal school run by Samatha in Thorada. (more…)

Araku Valley -Popularly known as Andhra Ooty is famous for its scenic beauty. Gostani River with all its beauty flows down the hills towards Visakhapatnam. Borra Caves the main tourist spot is on the banks of this river with Galikonda and Rakta konda as its peripharies. People prefer to go by train which carries them through the hills and valleys, through tunnels – a feast to the eyes of the traveler.

Now- all this is going to be a thing of the past… In the name of development this area is going to be handed over to the private companies who are waiting to dig out Bauxite which is the main raw material for the aluminum companies. This would fill their coffers with millions of rupees. They are going to mine at Galikonda and Rakta konda , after which we might not see the hills again. Gostani river will not flow and Visakha will not be able to quench its parched throat since it would dry up once the mining starts. The water reservoir near Tatipudi built on the River Gostani, which is the main source of water to Visakhapatnam, would dry up. Besides this, around 15 streams and many more lakes would disappear. The beautiful waterfall “Katika” which falls from 250ft high would lose its splendour. The life of the tribal people living in this region will be destroyed. (more…)

The Hindu | June 30 2006

Visakhapatnam, June 30 (UNI): Fifteen tribal youths from East Godavari and Visakhapatnam districts have been selected to participate in the UNESCO World Youth Festival 2006, scheduled to be held from July 2 to 16 in Stuttgart in Germany.

The festival is organised as part of the on-going World Cup Soccer FIFA Football championship. (more…)

The Hindu | Staff Reporter | Andhra Pradesh | Nov 16, 2005

VISAKHAPATNAM: The Forum for Better Visakha (FBV) has asked the State Government to review its decision to go ahead with the work on beach road widening between Visakhapatnam and Bheemunipatnam.

The forum has stated that it is in favour of conducting a public hearing in the fishermen’s villages all along the beach road and a joint inspection of the proposed area by all the agencies concerned, along with representatives of fishermen’s organisations. (more…)

The Hindu | Staff Reporter | Andhra Pradesh | Oct 11, 2005

• lea for transparent policy
• Rights forum for re-convening of public hearing
• Hearing only after detailed resettlement plan, says Samata activist

VISAKHAPATNAM: An hour-long public hearing conducted by the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) on Polavaram (Indira Sagar) multi-purpose project on Monday turned into a tame affair with no major objections. “As the benefits are far-reaching, I think none has any objection to make,” District Collector Praveen Prakash declared after winding up the public hearing held at the Collectorate, amid unprecedented police bandobust. (more…)

The Hindu | Staff Reporter | Sep 28, 2005

• Concern over the fate of tribals once they are shifted to non-tribal areas
• Submergence of over 260 villages feared in East and West Godavari and Khammam districts by Polavaram project
• Officials accused of behaving rudely with affected people and not giving them proper information

A WORRIED LOT: Saraswati Rao, an activist of the Movement Against Uranium Project in Nalgonda, speaking at a workshop in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday.

VISAKHAPATNAM: P. Jogamma, hailing from Maduvalasa village of Pachipenta mandal in Vizianagaram district, does not know how to narrate injustice done to her and others due to the Peddagedda reservoir project by which they have been displaced.

Waving copies of pattas issued to them, she points out as to how they have been denied possession of land for which they were given the pattas long ago. (more…)

Indian Express | September 16 2005

POLAVARAM: Social activist and director of non-governmental organisation Samata Rebbapragada Ravi has demanded that the Government give land to the Polavaram oustees in lieu of the land lost due to the construction of the project.

He told reporters that giving monetary compensation in lieu of the land would be of no use.

He also strongly opposed shifting of the oustee tribals to the urban areas, as the culture shock would be too much for the forest-dwelling tribals. (more…)

The Hindu | Staff Reporter | Monday, Sep 05, 2005

• CPI(M) to drum up support in Parliament against MoU with Jindal Group
• GSI survey reports about 500 to 600 million tonnes bauxite deposits in Easten Ghats
• Loss of green cover and contamination of groundwater feared

CAUSE FOR CONCERN: Member of Parliament Midiam Babu Rao receiving a representation from Girijan youth at a seminar conducted by Andhra Pradesh Girijan Sangham on anti-bauxite mining agitation in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.

VISAKHAPATNAM: CPI(M) MP Midiam Babu Rao on Sunday found fault with the State Government for signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Jindal Group for setting up an alumina plant and refinery in the district without consulting tribals and their representatives.

Speaking at a seminar on bauxite mining organised by the Andhra Pradesh Girijan Sangham (APGS), he said he would oppose the deal in the Parliament and try to drum up support of other MPs against the permission granted to Jindal Group to establish the plant and refinery at a cost of Rs. 9,000 crores. (more…)

The Hindu | Santosh Patnaik | Friday, Aug 12, 2005

VISAKHAPATNAM: Even before grounding work, the Jindal South West Holding Limited (JSWHL), which wants to set up an alumina smelter and refinery in the district at a cost of Rs. 9,000 crores, is facing a rough weather.

The JSWHL can win its first battle in its quest for making use of huge bauxite deposits only when it can overcome protests from various social action groups. (more…)

Business Line | Visakhapatnam, July 18, 2005

SAMATA, an NGO working in the agency area of Visakhapatnam district, has urged the State Government to scrap the MoU signed recently with the Jindal group for exploitation of bauxite reserves in the region and setting up a smelter here.

At a press meet here on Monday, Mr Rebbapragada Ravi, Executive Director, said that the Government had signed the MoU with the Jindal group in a hurry.”It will result in an ecological disaster in the tribal tracts in the eastern ghats. The economic benefits resulting from the project are elusive and in any event they will not reach the tribals,” he said. (more…)