Hyderabad: The Atomic Minerals Directorate (AMD) has found dangerously high levels of uranium concentration in the groundwater samples across the Lambapur-Peddagattu region, known for large uranium deposits, in Telangana’s Nalgonda district alarming top atomic energy officials to red flag the issue to the government agencies.The atomic energy officials have red-flagged the startling findings of AMD on high uranium concentration around Lambapur-Peddagattu region to various government agencies, which include the department of atomic energy, ministry of forests and environment, water resources, pollution control agencies and the PMO that supervises the atomic energy activities.These startling findings have come even as the civil society bodies and political outfits were raising concerns over high levels of uranium concentration found in the groundwater around Tummalapalle in Andhra Pradesh’s Kadapa district, where uranium is mined.The latest findings of uranium concentration in groundwater in Telangana come at a time when the civil society bodies and opposition parties were up in the arms against the proposed uranium mining in the Nallamala forest region.Uranium Corporation of India (UCIL), which now operates underground mines in Andhra Pradesh, plans to set up an open pit and three underground mines in Telangana with a central plant about 50km from the mine site.“The frighteningly high uranium concentration in groundwater samples around Lambapur-Peddagattu uranium resources in Telangana were found in a survey conducted by the Atomic Minerals Directorate (AMD),” a top atomic energy department official told ET, seeking anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media.
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