Date:30/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/30/stories/2008103055050500.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Hearing in mining case adjourned

Legal Correspondent

Hyderabad: A Division Bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice A.R. Dave and Justice R.Subhash Reddy on Wednesday adjourned by two weeks the case filed by AP Girijana Sangam regarding the bauxite mining in Chintapally, Vishakhapatnam district.

The Girijana Sangam represented by its president Midiam Babu Rao, MP, complained that the public hearing on October 3 at Chintapally was a sham.

Sri Ram Naik who filed the affidavit said that the tribals were supposed to participate in this hearing and ventilate their grievances regarding the proposed bauxite mining around Chintaplally as enunciated in the rules framed by the Ministry of Environment.

V. Raghu, appearing for the petitioners, said that curfew-like atmosphere prevailed in the affected villages and no buses plied on the date.

A direction was sought to declare the hearing as illegal. Advocate general who appeared for the respondent state and the mineral development corporation said that the people were not allowed to participate by the political parties.

The bench asked him to file a counter affidavit and adjourned the case by two weeks.