YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leader Y.V. Subba Reddy on Thursday, 13 August raised in the Rajya Sabha the issue of mining activity encroaching on the Panchadarla heritage area in Andhra Pradesh, demanding immediate central intervention to protect a protected Buddhist site, the ancient Dharmalingeswara Swamy temple, and five natural water streams integral to the complex.

What Was Raised in Parliament

Speaking during the debate on the Minerals Amendment Bill, 2026, Subba Reddy drew the House's attention to mining operations moving closer to the protected heritage zone. He argued that the identity of Panchadarla is inseparable from the five natural streams flowing through the temple complex, and that continued mining poses a direct threat to both the ecology and cultural heritage of the site.

Subba Reddy called for an immediate inspection of the area, a comprehensive cumulative environmental impact assessment, and a scientific hydrological study of the water channels. He also demanded verification of all statutory and environmental clearances, and urged that all mining activities and related plans be suspended until these assessments are completed.

Broader Concerns on the Minerals Bill

Beyond the Panchadarla issue, Subba Reddy used the floor debate to make a wider argument about mining governance. He stated that mineral wealth belongs to the people and must be managed with full transparency. While acknowledging that a clear mining framework is essential for economic growth, he insisted it must not compromise State revenues, local livelihoods, or environmental protection.

He cautioned that excessive centralisation of authority at the national level risks weakening ground-level enforcement against illegal and environmentally destructive mining. States, he argued, bear the immediate financial, environmental, and infrastructure costs of mining and must have their interests protected in any national policy framework.

Other YSRCP Leaders Join the Charge

The Panchadarla issue was also taken up separately by other YSRCP representatives. Golla Baburao, Araku MP Gumma Thanuja Rani, and former minister Gudivada Amarnath met Union Ministers and submitted formal complaints.

Baburao alleged that leaders of the coalition government in Andhra Pradesh were exploiting natural resources and destroying hills and temple surroundings across the erstwhile Visakhapatnam district.

Thanuja Rani said Union Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy and Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat were briefed on the situation and had assured that a Central team would examine the mining activity, with action to follow within 10 days of the team's report. She also stated that official enquiries had found that mining and blasting vibrations were affecting the sacred water streams and that nearly two lakh tonnes of gravel had been extracted beyond the approved mining plan.

CBI Probe Demand and Political Accountability

Former minister Gudivada Amarnath escalated the political dimension, demanding a CBI enquiry into the role of Anakapalli MP C.M. Ramesh. He argued that accountability could not end with the suspension of lower-level officials. Amarnath also stated that penalties of nearly ₹250 crore were due under applicable rules for the illegal excavation, and demanded Ramesh's resignation along with a comprehensive probe.

This comes amid growing national scrutiny of mining oversight near protected and heritage sites, with several such cases flagged in Parliament in recent sessions. The Central government's response — and whether the promised inspection materialises within the stated 10-day window — will be closely watched.