Political parties and tribals who have been agitating against bauxite mining are planning to block scientists of the Indian Council of Forest Research and Environment when they come for a survey. It is learnt that the scientists would visit the Agency areas soon to undertake a mining impact survey. This is mandatory to get permission for mining in a forest area from the ministry of environment and forests. The proposed mining project would displace tribals in large numbers and has also evoked sharp protests from environmentalists who warn that it would have a negative ecological impact. "The mining would spell doom to the environment in the Agency areas and will also pollute water resources affecting the public health in the plain areas,' said the CPI district unit secretary, Mr J.V. Satyanarayana Murthy. The CPI has opposed the survey by a government institution. "An independent panel or body should be constituted and it should look into these aspects,' he said. "There is every possibility that the government would tamper with the report,' he observed. Mr Murthy added that the party would join hands with thousands of tribals to prevent the scientists from entering the Agency's terrain. "We will gherao the team if it makes an attempt to enter the area,' said the CPI leader. Meanwhile, the CPI-M district unit secretary, Ch Narasinga Rao, said his party had launched pada yatras in the Agency area to sensitise innocent tribals about the impact of mining on the environment. The Telugu Desam is also planning to join the Left parties in their struggle against the mining project. Maoists are also strongly opposing the project. At the same time, police is making all arrangements to provide enough security to the visiting scientists. It may be recalled that a few months ago Maoists had abducted a team from the revenue department who went into the Agency to conduct a survey for the mining project. They were released after a while with the warning that such surveys should not be undertaken again.