Anakapalli: Mining Mafia Loots 10,000 Tonnes Laterite Daily, Rs 1500 Cr Annually!

• Mining mafia in Anakapalli district's Nathavaram mandal is illegally excavating 10,000 tonnes of laterite daily, causing an estimated annual loss of Rs. 1500 crore.
• Hills are being hollowed out, trees cut, and streams encroached upon in Bhamidikiloddi, Sundarakota Panchayat, with laterite transported to Odisha for steel plants.
• Opposition YSRCP alleges political patronage, while previous investigations in 2023 found 68,279 tonnes of excess excavation and imposed a Rs. 5 crore penalty.
• Mining resumed after the coalition government came to power, with allegations of under-reporting quantities, lack of GPS/weighbridges, and officials facing pressure.
• Despite a lease of Rs. 26,000/hectare and royalty of Rs. 150/tonne, only 5 tonnes are reportedly shown for every 10,000 tonnes transported, causing massive revenue loss.

Why It Matters: Massive illegal laterite mining in Anakapalli causes Rs 1500 Cr annual loss, raising political and environmental concerns.