Hyderabad: India Cements Limited, owned by ICC chairman N. Srinivasan, has attracted the ire of locals for limestone mining operations in Yerraguntla of Kadapa. According to an AP Pollution Control Board report on the recent public hearing regarding renewal of mining license, the public vented its anger against ICL operations in Kadapa.
 
Locals alleged that ICL gave only nominal employment to those who lost land and not enough salaries were being paid. The company has not set up a school as is required and blasting operations are affecting neighbouring villages and agriculture crops are being damaged on a large-scale.
 
According APPCB environmental engineer A. Narendra Babu’s report, locals vented their anger during a public hearing for renewal of the Niduzuvvi limestone mine, a captive mine of ICL, covering 335.06 hectare at Niduzuvvi village in Yerraguntla with a production of one million tonnes per annum.
 
The report stated that there was still 83 million tonnes of limestone deposits in the mining area, which would serve the industry for another 83 years. Mr Babu, however, stated that ICL was carrying out controlled blasting and pollutants were being arrested by water sprinkling and that it was spending Rs 35 lakh to Rs 40 lakh per annum as part of CSR.