opencast movement

Agitation against opencast mining gaining momentum
The ongoing movement against the Singaeni Opencast coal mine projects is gaining momentum as several organizations expressing solidarity towards the movement. Evidently the Telangana Vidyavanthula Vedika (TVV), the prime organization which has been in the forefront against the opencast projects is putting all its efforts in gathering nation-wide support for the cause.
The Telangana Vimochana Samithi (TVS) has already toured the coal-belt areas of Adilabad, Karimngar, Warangal and Khammam districts and its president Mr. Kapilavayi Dilip Kumar, member of Legislative council is continuing his foot-procession (padayatra) to press for the demands of the affected people by the Opencast coal mine projects.
The Human Rights Forum (HRF) is also putting all out efforts to expose the issue of Opencast coal mines, focusing more on the rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) policy being followed by the Singareni management.
Unlike any other trade unions in Singareni, The Telangana Boggugani Karmika Sangham (TGBKS), a trade union out fit of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), is all set to organize protest programmes on the coal mines of Singareni starting from August 14, against the unmindful expansion of Opencast mine projects by the Singareni.
The TVV has already formed a struggle committee in its recent State Executive meeting in an effort to spread the movement, nation wide. It may recall that the TVV has organized a Media tour to the opencast projects and effected areas of Singareni near Ramagundam in Karimnagar district recently which instilled confidence among the struggling Project Affected Families (PAFs).
As a result of the ongoing wide-spread agitations by these organizations, the State Government has reportedly asked the Singareni management to study the possibilities of alternative methods of coal mining to the opencast mining method.
In a bid to garner support to its agitation against the opencast coal mining by the Singareni, the TVV has launched an internet propaganda mission by starting a blogspot by name www.stopopencastmining.blogspot.com .
It has also started an online discussion globally through telangana development forum’s (USA) website.
“TVV is organizing a round table conference inviting the senior leaders of all political parties in the State, which is slated for August 19th in Hyderabad”, said its general secretary Mr. Pittala Ravinder. The round table meeting is intended to take up the issue in the ongoing session of the State Assembly and also in the Legislative Council, he added.
“We are trying to start a nation wide united struggle against the opencast coal mining, which has been harming the environment and forests apart from affecting the agriculture activity within the vicinity resulting in thousands of families becoming jobless and homeless”, Mr. Pittala Ravinder has said. “The TVV is organizing another round table national conference inviting all the struggle groups from the coal producing States in the country and the meeting is aimed at forming a national level struggle forum to fight for the cause”, he added.
The TVV is also suggesting alternative mining methods to the luring opencast coal mines and forming expert study groups to seriously look into the alternatives, Mr. Pittala Ravinder assured. (ends).

opencast