YSRCP to protest ‘illegal mining’ at Panchadarla Hill

The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has announced a ‘Chalo Panchadarla’ programme on July 21 to protest alleged illegal mining at Panchadarla Hill in Anakapalli district. The party accused Anakapalli MP C.M. Ramesh and Yelamanchili Jana Sena MLA Sundarapu Vijay Kumar of enabling large-scale quarrying on the ecologically and religiously significant hill.

Addressing a press conference on Sunday, former Minister Gudivada Amarnath, accompanied by former MLA Karanam Dharmasri and YSRCP Anakapalli district president Boddeti Prasad, said mining near the ancient Sri Uma Dharmalingeswara Swamy Temple had exceeded permitted limits, causing irreversible damage to the hill and its springs.

Mr. Amarnath alleged that mining leases were obtained in the MP’s personal assistant’s name, with gravel transported to companies linked to Mr. Ramesh. He said round-the-clock excavation beyond approved boundaries had reached considerable depths, threatening the hill’s geological stability and the temple precincts. The activity, he added, had disrupted the sacred springs, replacing their traditional crystal-clear water with mud, and similar indiscriminate quarrying was underway in other Visakhapatnam hill ranges, including Simhachalam.

He demanded cancellation of the mining permissions and urged the government to declare Panchadarla a ‘No Mining Zone,’ noting that mining continued despite nearby rehabilitation villages and Jagananna housing colonies where quarrying is regulated. Calling it a matter of religious, ecological, and cultural protection rather than politics, he said senior leaders, including Botsa Satyanarayana and K. Kannababu, would join the protest.

Mr. Dharmasri said three of Panchadarla’s five natural springs had dried up, while the remaining two discharged muddy water, adding that the protest aimed to expose the illegal mining and press for government action.

Mr. Prasad said repeated representations to authorities had gone unanswered, and the party would continue its agitation. There was no response from Mr. Ramesh, Mr. Vijay Kumar, or the State government.