Villagers obstruct SCCL opencast mine expansion work at Yellandu

Kothagudem: Villagers and leaders of different political parties have obstructed the work of SCCL’s opencast mine expansion at Poosapalli of Yellandu mandal in the district on Monday. The residents of Tilak Nagar and Vijayalaxmi Nagar gram panchayats, CPI leader K Saraiah and CPM leader Nabi have staged a dharna obstructing trenching work for setting up borders for the opencast mine expansion.

It might be noted that the SCCL planned to expand the opencast mine to extract coal from a closed underground mine at the 21 incline area. Both Tilak Nagar and Vijayalaxmi Nagar gram panchayats have to be evacuated for the purpose. Saraiah and Nabi alleged that the SCCL officials have not conducted any public hearing to obtain consent from the residents and have not announced any relief package. They demanded the SCCL management to conduct a public hearing, announce a relief package and provide alternate housing to the residents in the villages which would be affected with the expansion.

Following the protest by the villagers the officials have stopped the work temporarily.