Telangana/WARANGAL | Nov 27, 2015:Tension prevailed for a while as a group of villagers of Gadeganipalle in Bhupalpalli mandal protested against opening of more open cast mines in the area by the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) here.
The villagers came in large numbers to attend the public hearing held amid tight security. People from Gaddeganipalle, Jangedu, Fakirgadda and surrounding villages came and protested complaining that they would lose their properties and the environment would be damaged.
People raised slogans and entered into a wordy duel with the police and the company officials. K Omkar and S Komuraiah rose and complained that those who gave their lands in the first phase of mines had not got compensation promised by the company till date.
Two activists – T Gattaiah of Singareni workers leader and one M Ramesh of Telangana Praja Front — were taken into custody by the police. People boycott the public hearing after that even as district revenue officer K Shobha appealed them to be calm.
Congress senior leader G V Ramana Reddy expressed solidarity with villagers demanding that the SSCL and State government ensure compensation to the people who gave their lands in the past. Condemning the arrest of activists, J Kumarswamy, P Venkanna and Uma of TPF staged demonstration in Hanamkonda.
They said CM K Chandrashekar Rao opposed the open cast mining during the separate Telangana struggle but he changed his mind now.
(Source: http://www.thehindu.com/)