Cong forms panel for stir over uranium exploration in T'gana

The Congress in Telangana on Friday said it has appointed a 17-member committee headed by its senior leader V Hanumantha Rao for carrying out an agitation against proposed uranium exploration in Nallamala forest in the state.

Nagarkurnool District Congress unit president C Vamsi Krishna will be the convener of the committee, it said in a statement here.

Congress in the state is up against the Atomic Minerals Directorate (AMD)s proposed uranium exploration in Amrabad Tiger Reserve in Nallamala forest.

AMD has sought permission from the state government to drill 4,000 boreholes as part of the survey and exploration of uranium over 83 sq km in the Tiger Reserve.

The Forest Advisory Committee under union the Ministry of Environment and Forest and Climate Change in May this year gave the in-principle approval for the uranium exploration.

Besides the Congress, the Telangana Jana Samithi founder and president M Kodandaram and Janasena Party chief Pawan Kalyan among others have opposed the proposed exploration.

Vamsi Chand Reddy said besides disturbing the environment and wildlife of Amrabad Tiger Reserve, the uranium exploration may cause displacement of Chenchus the aboriginal people of the Nallamala forest.