High level of Uranium in Nalgonda

                                                             

Hyderabad, Mar 1  Andhra Pradesh Government today cancelled the lease for mining quartz and feldspar minerals granted to Timex Industries over alleged violation of rules. In 2001, the Government allotted 3 acres of land near Mallareddypalli village of Nalgonda district to Timex for a period of 20 years for mining the minerals. "The Government, hereby, declares the mining lease for quartz and feldspar in Mallareddypalli village of Nalgonda, held by M/s Timex Industries, as lapsed," an official statement said here. The Government earlier had issued a show-cause notice to the company as it found the mine was not working for the last three years and the lease holder had not erected the boundary pillars also. In reply, Timex said they were operating the mine continuously, the details of which can be verified from the monthly returns submitted to the Government. It requested the Government to ask the officials concerned to visit the mine so that the points raised in the notice can be verified. However, the Director of Mines and Geology Department, in a report, said the mine worked for a period of four years after execution of lease deed. Subsequently, it was kept under non-working condition for more than three years. As per the recent inspection report and observations by the department officials, it appears the mine again started working during 2011, the Director's report said. The company showed the mine was working continuously even in the non-working period. This clearly shows that the monthly returns furnished by Timex for the non-working period are fabricated one, the statement said, quoting the report. When contacted, the company said the project was not economically viable.