UNITED and unrelenting struggle by tribal people and CPI(M) has forced the Telugu Desam Party-led government in Andhra Pradesh to suspend its order, granting bauxite mining lease for Jerrala reserve. The TDP government had on November 5 issued the order, granting mining lease to the Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC) for bauxite blocks of 1,212 hectares in Jerrala, Visakhapatnam. The day the government order was issued, CPI(M) and AP Girijana Sangam opposed it vociferously and the tribal population rose in protest. On November 6, CPI(M) held dharnas at all the mandal offices, both in the scheduled areas and other districts. A bandh call was given and it was a huge success. Normal life came to a standstill in the scheduled areas. In the city, in support of the struggle of the tribal population and the bandh call, local party committees and mass organisations took out rallies. From November 10, in all mandals and major villages relay fast programmes were organised. There was huge and tremendous response in all the eleven mandals of the scheduled area. Since 2000 when the then TDP government took the initiative for bauxite mining, CPI(M) has taken the lead in mobilising the tribal masses against the move. CPI(M) and Adivasi Adhikar Manch organised various protest programmes. CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat, MP Jiten Choudury, Midium Baburao, Sunnam Rajaiah and other senior leaders have participated in these agitations and inspired the movement. Following protests and mounting pressure, the state cabinet on November 16 decided to suspend the government order, granting bauxite mining lease to APMDC. Mining Lease Illegal & Unconstitutional As per Article 244(1) of the Constitution, the Governor should seek the advice of Tribal Advisory Council of the state in matter related to tribal areas under the Fifth Schedule. It is constitutional and mandatory on part of the state government to get advice of Tribal Advisory Council in any matter relating to the Fifth Schedule areas. In Samatha judgement in 1997, the Supreme Court had also upheld that the tribal areas under Fifth Schedule cannot be given to any private agency. It even categorised government agencies like APMDC as private. But the Andhra Pradesh government has issued this bauxite mining lease violating the Supreme Court orders. The state also allowed APMDC to sign MoU with private entities on mining of bauxite. In the MoUs that APMDC signed with Ras al-Khaimah (UAE) and Anrak, it was mentioned that only 1.50 per cent shares will go to public and the remaining 98.50 per cent will be in the hands of private individuals or institutions. This is nothing but giving away land in areas under the Fifth Schedule to private entities, which is violation of the AP Scheduled Areas Land Transfer Regulation Act (Act 1/70). The CAG report of 2013-14 recommended scrapping of the MoUs. The Ministry of Environment and Forests set up a committee, under J C Kala, in 2011 to examine various aspects of bauxite mining in Visakhapatnam district. The Kala committee, in its report, said that grama sabha or the panchayat at appropriate level located within 10 km radius of mining sites should be taken into confidence before mining lease was granted. Doublestandards of TDP & YSRCP The state's ruling Telugu Desam Party had objected to mining when it was in opposition. TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu had in 2011 written a letter to the then chief minister, opposing bauxite mining. Now the same Chandrababu has issued the mining lease order. The TDP government in 2000 expressed its intention about amending the Act 1/70 to facilitate bauxite mining. The tribal masses took out rallies and held dharnas protesting against the move. Seminars and meetings were conducted to elicit all round support for the struggle. Memorandums were given to the then governor. The governor intervened and directed the state government to protect the tribal people’s interest. The then TDP government had to succumb to the mounting pressure and temporarily shelved the proposal. Later when the Congress came to power, the YSR government in 2005 signed MoUs with Ras al-Khaimah, Anrak and the Jindal group for bauxite mining. Many TDP leaders and cadres joined the struggle of tribals against mining. Former tribal welfare minister Mani Kumari and former zilla parishad chairperson V Kanthamma threatened that if the government order for mining was implemented they would resign from TDP. The YSR Congress Party also joined the struggle. But here it should be noted that their mentor Late YSR as chief minister signed MoUs with Anrak and Jindal. Both TDP and Congress do not take steps to scrap the mining when they are in power. It shows their doublestandards and opportunistic politics. The Jaganmohan Reddy-led YSRCP though agitating against the government order, the tribals and people of the state are aware that the party is playing double game because it is not in power. The government had to backtrack from mining because of the united and unrelenting struggle by tribal people and CPI(M). It is the victory the tribal masses. Though the government order has been suspended, struggle must be continued to ensure that the proposal of bauxite mining is dropped permanently.