BRS Leader Alleges Major Irregularities in Telangana Mining Auction Process
In a significant development concerning natural resource management in Telangana, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao has leveled serious allegations regarding the e-auction of mining blocks in Suryapet district. The prominent political figure has formally demanded that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy order an immediate independent inquiry into the entire auction process and cancel all related tenders.
Detailed Allegations of Procedural Violations
In a comprehensive letter addressed directly to the chief minister, KTR outlined multiple concerns regarding what he described as "irregularities, procedural lapses, and legal violations" in the e-auction process conducted by the mines and geology department. The former minister asserted that the department carried out the auction in a manner that fundamentally undermined transparency and violated established legal frameworks.
One of the most serious allegations concerns approximately 1,100 acres of reserved forest land that falls within the Pasupulabodu, Saidulnama, and Sultanpur mining blocks. According to KTR's detailed complaint, the tender documents failed to disclose numerous mandatory technical specifications required for transparent bidding. These omissions reportedly included precise latitude and longitude coordinates, DGPS survey validation data, forest compartment information, detailed survey maps, and UTM geo-coordinates.
Legal and Environmental Concerns Raised
The BRS leader further emphasized that comprehensive geological reports mandated under both the Mineral Auction Rules of 2015 and the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act of 1957 were not provided to potential bidders. This failure, he argued, renders the entire auction process legally questionable and potentially invalid under existing mining regulations.
KTR expressed particular concern that authorities proceeded with the auction despite pending legal scrutiny and allegedly failed to comply with specific directions issued by the Telangana High Court in 2024. He questioned the procedural validity of announcing preferred bidders before the completion of essential environmental and statutory clearances, suggesting this represented a fundamental departure from established norms.
Environmental Safeguards Allegedly Ignored
Perhaps most alarmingly, the former minister alleged that the auction was conducted without obtaining the mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the forest department. KTR warned that such actions could cause significant environmental harm and erode public trust in government institutions responsible for natural resource management.
"The failure to secure proper forest clearances represents a serious breach of environmental protection protocols," the BRS working president stated in his communication to the chief minister.
Specific Demands for Corrective Action
In response to these multiple concerns, KT Rama Rao has made several specific demands:
- Immediate suspension of all proceedings under the current auction notification
- Cancellation of the existing tender for Suryapet district mining blocks
- Initiation of a time-bound independent investigation into the entire auction process
- Issuance of fresh tenders only after completing comprehensive scientific surveys
- Securing all statutory clearances through a fully transparent process before any future auction
The BRS leader emphasized that transparent and legally compliant natural resource management is essential for both environmental protection and public confidence in government institutions. This development represents a significant political challenge for the Telangana government regarding its management of mineral resources and adherence to environmental regulations.
