[Posted below is an appeal from the Movement Against Uranium Project (MAUP) in Andhra Pradesh along with the latest news reports]
o o o Dear All I am sending you a appeal from MAUP spearheading the campaign against the proposed nalgonda uranium project. As all of are aware this was set aside in august 2003 due to popular protest against it. Now the Govt is pushing it again please read below the appeal from MAUP and send your endorsements or email the protest letter(Attached) to the concerned officers listed at the end of the letter. Regards Ravi Samata/mm&P APPEAL from MAUP:- Dear AntiUranium activists As you already know, an Environmental Public Hearing(EPH) is proposed by Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board(APPCB) to be held at Seripally village of Devarkonda mandal in Nalgonda district of Andhra Pradesh State on 3-3-2005 at 11 AM, to elicit Public Opinion on the proposed Uranium Processing Plant in Seripally village by UCIL. We hope that all of you are going to attend the EPH and oppose it so that UCIL would give it up once for all. We also seek your considered opinion on the idea of petitioning the PM, the President, the CJI and Human Rights Commission to institute an Inquiry headed by a sitting Supreme Court Judge and consisting of experts in the field of Nuclear Medicine, Oncology, Ionising Radiation and Social & Environmental Sciences, to go into all matters, especially health problems, pertaining to Jadugoda and its environs, where UCIL has been operating for the last four decades. We can also send, alongwith the petition, the CD showing the Jadugoda episode (Radiating Lies) aired recently by Headlines Today & Aaj Tak TV channels, in which blatant voilations and denials by UCIL and the disaster visiting Jadugoda were aired, in detail. As a matter of precaution, the UCIL can be asked/ordered by these Institutions to suspend all its(UCIL's) operations, including EPH at Seripally of AP, pending completion of the proposed Inquiry Commission. We have to act fast, if we decide to go ahead with the petitioning, as the EPH day is fast approaching. Hoping to receiving an early response from you Conveners Capt Rama Rao & Dr. Satyalakshmi o o o o To, The Member Secretary, AP Pollution Control Board, Paryavaran Bhavan, A-3, Industrial Estate, Sanathnagar Hyderabad -500 018 Sir, Sub:- Uranium Mining in the close vicinity of Nagarjuna Sagar Reservoir - Right to Information & Transparency We wish to bring to your kind notice that two Environmental Public Hearings (EPH) were held on 19 th August 2003 at Peddagattu and P A Pally, regarding the proposed UCIL projects for Uranium Mining at Lambapur-Peddagattu and the Uranium Processing Plant at Mallapurm-Dugyala of PA Pally Mandal in Nallagonda district. The Movement Against Uranium Project (MAUP) and many other organizations and individuals from all over the country orally and in writing raised various objections against the proposed projects. The local population overwhelmingly opposed and vociferously expressed against both the Uranium Mining and Processing projects during the Public Hearings. The public has an important role to play in EIA process and the agencies concerned are obliged to respond to issues and concerns raised during public hearing. and convey back to the public the decisions taken. But unfortunately the public, to date, has not been informed about the final decision taken regarding the above projects and whether their objections have been considered. This only indicates denial of information to the public, lack of transparency and utter disregard to the public opinion, on the part of the State Administration. In the absence of any information even after one and half years since EPHs were held and the Notification issued by APPCB to conduct EPH on 3 rd March 2005 in respect of UCIL proposal to relocate the Uranium Processing Plant to a new site at Seripally village, Devarakonda Mandal, it is logical to conclude that UCIL is going ahead with Uranium Mining Project at Lambapur-Peddagattu of PA Pally Mandal abutting Nagarjuna Sagar Reservoir. The UCIL is reported to have proposed to relocate Uranium Processing Plant to a new site at Seripally village, Devarakonda Mandal, keeping in mind the Supreme Court judgment on the water reservoirs of Gandipet and Himayatsagar, as the originally proposed site at Mallapurm- Dugyala of PA Pally Mandal, falls within the 10 km radius of Nagarjuna Sagar Reservoir which is also a drinking water source for the city of Hyderabad -2- It is of significance to note that Lambapur and Peddagattu plateau regions, with maximum and minimum elevation at 340 mRL on the west and 240 mRL on the east respectively are right above Nagarjuna Sagar Reservoir, and the area at extreme south and east is predominantly occupied by Reservoir limits of Nagarjuna Sagar, with maximum water level at 180 mRL. The general drainage of the area from all sides is towards Nagarjuna Sagar and a number of ephemeral streams flow down to Nagarjuna Sagar from plateau regions. . Therefore, how can the Uranium Mining Project at Lambapur-Peddagattu plateau, which is of hazardous nature and abutting Nagarjuna Sagar Reservoir limits as stated above, can be permitted in violation of the Supreme Court judgment and the Precautionary Principle which is universally accepted ? The Supreme Court, in its judgment has clearly established that the right to access safe drinking water is fundamental to life and it is a duty on the State, under Art 21 of the Constitution, to provide clean drinking water to its citizens. It is therefore requested that before going ahead with the proposed EPH on 3 rd March 2005, the public be informed whether UCIL was granted permission for the Mining Project or not ? In case the Mining project is cleared, the public has the right to know, how their fundamental right to safe drinking water free from radionuclide contamination from Nagarjuna Sagar Reservoir is taken care of, with Uranium Mining taking place right abutting the Reservoir ? . It is requested that the proposed EPH scheduled to be held on 3 rd March regarding relocation of Uranium Processing Plant, be kept in abeyance till the above clarifications are given. Yours Sincerely, (Your name / organization) Copy to: 1) The Secretary , MOE&F, GOI [EMAIL PROTECTED] 2) Chief Minister, AP Govt [EMAIL PROTECTED] 3) Chief Secretary, AP Govt. [EMAIL PROTECTED] 4) Principal Secretary Dept of Env. & Forest, AP Govt. [EMAIL PROTECTED] 5) Member Secretary APPCB [EMAIL PROTECTED] ______ The Hindu - March 03, 2005 http://www.hindu.com/2005/03/03/stories/2005030312110300.htm Andhra Pradesh UCIL under fire Surendra Gadekar and Sanghamitra of Sampurna Kranti Vidyalaya, Gujarat, visited the UCIL mining site at Peddagattu on Wednesday. Speaking to The Hindu on their return from the area, the couple took exception to the UCIL's move to take up the project without going for a health study. ``The UCIL is in the habit of arguing that there is no health hazard due to the project. If we complete a health survey before establishing the plant, it will help us to make a comparison at a later stage,'' they said expressing their opposition to the mining of uranium. Dr. Surendra, who did a survey on the radiation levels at Jaduguda, alleged that the UCIL was least bothered about locals, its employees and officers. They couple found fault with the Atomic Energy Commission's "desperate attempt'' to extract uranium from all available sources. Activists of Movement Against Uranium Project -- Kishan Rao and Ambika -- accompanied the couple. _____ The Hindu - March 03, 2005 http://www.hindu.com/2005/03/03/stories/2005030312200300.htm Stage set for public hearing on proposed uranium plant By Our Staff Reporter DEVARAKONDA (NALGONDA DT, ). MARCH 2. The stage is set for Thursday's public hearing on the Rs. 372-crore uranium processing plant proposed to be constructed at Seripally in Devarkonda mandal by the Uranium Corporation of India Limited. The Jana Vignana Vedika and the Movement Against Uranium Project have made all-out efforts to mobilise public opinion against the plant, which according to them can pose a great risk for local people. The UCIL is countering the argument with the help of those who were taken for a field visit to its main plant at Jaduguda in Jharkhand. The UCIL has been broadcasting video clippings containing the versions of the 30-odd locals, who spoke for the project on their return from Jaduguda, in Siticable. According to sources, an UCIL official met them a couple of times in the last week to impress upon them to mobilise tribals in favour of the plant during the public hearing. Meanwhile, the irate villagers of Seripally allegedly burnt down UCIL posters after preventing its supporters from entering into their village last evening. Following the incident, the Pollution Control Board is said to have decided to organise the public hearing near the main road, not in Seripally village as was announced by it in its notification. A large number of policemen are drawn to deploy in and around the venue suspecting trouble from the villagers. In an attempt to educate people on the ill-effects of uranium, the JVV activists staged street plays and asked people to participate in the public hearing in large numbers. The Lions Club also extending support to the movement against the plant. However, A. Madhusudan Rao, the UCIL official, who was at Devarakonda yesterday said: "Opposition from locals is a common thing for any big project. While 90 per cent people support it, the remaining 10 per cent will always oppose it.'' _________________________________ SOUTH ASIANS AGAINST NUKES (SAAN): An informal information platform for activists and scholars concerned about Nuclearisation in South Asia South Asians Against Nukes Mailing List: archives are available @ two locations May 1998 - March 2002: <groups.yahoo.com/group/sap/messages/1> Feb. 2001 - to date: <groups.yahoo.com/group/SAAN_/messages/1> To subscribe send a blank message to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> South Asians Against Nukes Website: www.s-asians-against-nukes.org ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Give underprivileged students the materials they need to learn. 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