Andhra Govt scraps GO 222; Mining Dept awaits rules for bauxite extraction

N. Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister, Andhra Pradesh announced Tuesday that the GO 222, issued during the Congress rule for supply of bauxite ore to Anrak Aluminium would remain scrapped.

During 2007, when the late Y.S Rajasekhara Reddy was in power, an agreement was signed between Anrak Aluminium (a joint venture of Ras-al-Khaimah Government and Pennar group) and the State Government for supply of 224 million tonnes of bauxite ore proposed to be extracted from the eastern ghats of Visakhapatnam district by the AP Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC).

However, due to various reasons including the controversy over the bauxite mining issue, mining could not be taken up but the Anrak group constructed an aluminium refinery at Makavaripalem in Visakhapatnam district.

Chief Minister in his statement made in the State Assembly said that the GO 222 was faultily structured and was against the interests of the people of Andhra Pradesh. He added that the State Government would do everything possible to protect the interests of the tribal people living in the Vishakha Agency area, the proposed site for bauxite mining, and no decision would be taken against their interests at large.

The officials of Mines and Geology Department are now awaiting guidelines on bauxite mining in the agency area of Visakhapatnam district. Industries Secretary M Girija Shankar, on the sidelines of a networking conference with mineral based industries in Vijayawada, on Wednesday said that his department was awaiting guidelines in the wake of cancellation of the GO: No: 222 pertaining to the government allowing APMDC to enter into an agreement with Anrak Aluminum Ltd for supply of bauxite.

“The GO No: 222 related to APMDC and ANRAK. But the GO No: 97 related to approval the state has got from the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) for diversion of forest land to APMDC for mining of bauxite,” Girija Shankar said, implying that no work has begun in identifying any agency for purchasing bauxite from APMDC.

Asked if the government would go in for bidding for purchase of bauxite from APMDC in the wake of cancellation of GO No: 222, Girija Shankar said that his department was waiting to hear from the government.