Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao unequivocally announced today that after the formation of Telangana State no permission had been given to anyone for uranium mining, and that there was no intention to issue any such permission in the future either.
Replying to the discussion on the Budget in the Legislative Assembly, the Chief Minister also assured that the government would not allow the destruction of the Nallamala forests under any circumstances.
The CM also added that if uranium mining were allowed a situation could arise where the waters of the Godavari and the Krishna rivers got polluted, and the farmers suffered a lot. The drinking water that comes to Hyderabad could also get contaminated. Keeping all these factors in view, there was no question of giving permission for uranium mining, he said.
KCR also said that despite its opposition, the Congress, when in government in united Andhra Pradesh in 2009, had given permission for uranium mining. He said that uranium mining had in fact started in united Andhra Pradesh.
The CM said that a resolution would be adopted in the State Assembly tomorrow on banning uranium mining, and it would be sent to the Centre. And if the Centre still insisted on giving mining permissions, his government would fight it out.