The panel to submit its report to the government today

As part of its mission to zero in on the allegations of groundwater contamination, an expert panel, comprising scientists and senior government officials, visited K.K. Kotala and other affected villages on Tuesday, the second day of its tour in the district.

The team of scientists from National Geophysical Research Institute, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, Indian Institute of Technology Tirupati (IITT), and State officials from mines and geology, agriculture and groundwater departments, during their interaction with the villagers, reportedly observed skin rashes on some residents and also took note of the damage caused to crops in the vicinity. However, the team will have to take up extensive study to link the damage to the uranium plant situated in the nearby Thummalapalle.

The visit was necessitated after the AP Pollution Control Board (APPCB) had made a complaint against Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) of non-adherence to rules in protecting the tailing ponds from seepage, though the latter asserted compliance to norms stipulated by AERB.