Tirupati: Senior YSRC leader and former minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy has accused the coalition government of attempting to revive iron ore mining at the sacred Mallayya Konda hills in Thamballapalle constituency of Annamayya district.
He charged that the government is now trying to shift the blame on the previous YSRC regime after facing opposition from devotees.
Addressing a press conference at the YSRC office in Tirupati, Peddireddy said the YSRC government had halted all mining-related proposals around Mallayya Konda after discussions with then chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, respecting the devotees’ sentiments. He maintained that although the centre had granted approvals for mining at Errakonda in 2022, the YSRC government did not proceed with the project.
The former minister alleged that the coalition government is now using those approvals to facilitate mining at Sadu Konda and Shivapuram, where the sacred hill and temple are located. Tracing the history of the project, he said Geomysore Services had been pursuing mining rights at Sadu Konda since January 1, 2004, through representations to successive governments. He said the proposal had first been made when N. Chandrababu Naidu had been the chief minister of united AP. Later, Geomysore pursued the matter with the government headed by former chief minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy.
“The then Tamballapalle MLA Praveen Kumar Reddy opposed the proposal and informed then Mining minister Galla Aruna Kumari that he would stand with the local people if mining is allowed. Even Aruna Kumari mentioned the issue in her book,” Peddireddy pointed out.
He alleged that the coalition government invited tenders for mining at Sadu Konda on November 27, 2025. He questioned how a Letter of Consent had been issued on April 23, 2026 to the preferred bidder under the APMDC tender for mining over 900 hectares.
The former minister went on to allege that the government held high-level committee meetings on the proposal to undertake mining over 626 hectares at Shivapuram. “The three hills of Mallayya Konda are as sacred as the seven hills of Tirumala. Devotees will not tolerate any attempt to undertake mining in the area,” he declared.
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