‘Mines and Geology Department gearing up to levy penalty on Andru Minerals’: Andhra Pradesh Govt. officials

The Department of Mines and Geology, State Government of Andhra Pradesh which is investigating the alleged mining of bauxite by Andru Minerals, has prima facie that the company violated norms to excavate 200,000 tonnes of the mineral through the Mineral Dealer License (MDL) that was secured.

However, in 2019, the mining company had shut down its operations at Vanthada village of Prathipadu Mandal in East Godavari district.

On 18^th August 2021, Gopal Krishna Dwivedi, Principal Secretary (Mines, Panchayat Raj and Rural Development) and V.G. Venkat Reddy, Director (Mines and Geology) said: “The department was gearing up to levy a penalty on the company for flouting the rules and excavating unaccounted quantity of laterite.”

Venkat Reddy added: “During the inquiry initiated following complaints from various quarters, it was found that the company had supplied 34 lakh tonnes of mineral to one of leading producer of aluminium in India. Similarly, it had exported 450,000 tonnes of laterite to China.”

“This gives rise to suspicion. Firstly, there are little of laterite exports and secondly, laterite is not used in aluminium companies. So, prima facie, the company had mined bauxite,” Reddy said.

When the lease was granted to the mining and minerals Company, it was evaluated that there was no bauxite as aluminium content was less than 38% at the pithead. Hence, it was finalized that the mineral obtainable there was laterite.

“But, with these developments, there arises a doubt that the company excavated bauxite from eight mining leases. Inquiry is going on,” he further added.

Gopal Krishna Dwivedi commented: “It was yet to be ascertained whether the department officials had colluded with the company, or was there any dereliction of duty on their part. Action will be taken against the officials who are responsible for the irregularities,” he said.