SRIKAKULAM: Trimex Sands Private Limited, which has been facing opposition from the people of Bhavanapadu in Santabommali mandal, to its proposed expansion of sand mining, on Monday got support from unexpected quarters.Around 400 people of Gara mandal went in a procession and staged a demonstration in front of the district collectorate here on Monday demanding that the company continue its activities in their area so that their employment would not be affected.TSPL, which is operating a mineral processing unit to extract ilmenite, rutile, zircon, garnet and silimanite from the Srikurmam sand deposits in Gara mandal, had come up with a proposal to operate a new unit at Bhavanapadu in Santabommali by taking up sand-mining along the sea coast for a stretch of 17.95 km.Following strong opposition from the locals of Bhavanapadu against the TSPL proposal, the locals of Gara mandal feared that the company might wind up its operation in Gara mandal and asked the district administration to ensure that the company continue its work so that their livelihood would not be in jeopardy.They also submitted a representation to the collector that sand mining by TSPL generated employment for them and should continue its activities to boost their economic condition.Mining had not damaged the environment in the coastal areas, they even claimed.They also submitted a representation to TSPL officials requesting them to continue the mining work.The TSPL representatives assured them that they would continue the sand mining in Gara mandal and provide more employment to the locals.A few days ago, people of more than 20 villages of Santabommali raised a banner of revolt against the proposed beach sand mining project of Trimex and threatened to intensify their agitation if the government did not cancel the project.They alleged that sand mining would rob their area of rich minerals.TSPL’s liaison officer NL Rao hoped the Gara peopl’e demand would change the mindset of the Bhavanapadu people who were opposing their project.
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