Opposition criticism on tribal lands baseless: CM

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, JULY 9. The Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, has dismissed as baseless the Opposition criticism on the Government's move to develop mineral wealth in the tribals areas.

"The criticism is neither based on facts nor the people who made the adverse comments have any concern for the welfare of the tribals or the development of the State", Mr. Naidu said in a press release.

The Chief Minister said protection of tribals, their rights, their welfare, customs, heritage and sentiments "are very much our concern too". The matter of developing the mineral resources in tribal areas and developing the bauxite depots was receiving the attention of the Government for quite sometime.

There were persistent demands from the people of the areas for utilisation of the rich natural wealth. There were representations, delegations and agitations for taking up the bauxite project.

The Chief Minister said over 550 million tonnes of bauxite was available in the east coast in Chinthapalli area of Visakhapatnam district. As per the existing laws, the deposits, which lay in scheduled areas, cannot be given on lease to any agency which was not under the control of the State or Central Governments or a cooperative society of tribals.

Mr. Naidu said the industrial policy of the State and Centre envisaged development of mineral sector with private participation by adopting modern and scientific technology, value addition and marketing of mineral products.

The Chief Minister said the development of bauxite involved an investment of over Rs.5,000 crores and it might not be possible for a tribal cooperative society to muster financial resources. It, therefore, became necessary to seek private sector partnership in a joint venture for taking up the exploration of the mineral in the scheduled areas.

In Orissa, which has a considerable tribal population, mining was being undertaken in scheduled areas. Therefore, a joint inspection was conducted by the Managing Director of APMDC and the Commissioner of Tribal Welfare in Orissa and the report concluded that all the bauxite-bearing areas in Orissa except Ganghamardhanan deposit were in scheduled areas of Damanjodi in Koraput district. The National Aluminium Corporation Limited (NALCO) has already set up a bauxite project which is being run successfully. All tribal families were rehabilitated and several of them employed in the project.

The Chief Minister said the Tribal Advisory Council, after visiting the bauxite project in Orissa and talking to the people there, recommended amendment to the Tribal Land Regulation Act with conditions such as adequate compensation for the displaced tribals, provision of non-technical jobs to the local tribal youth, earmarking part of profits generated by the factory for development activity in and around the mining areas and houses for the affected people.

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Section  : Southern States
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