The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Illegal mining by OMC confirmed by CM: TDP

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Thursday, Jul 26, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Illegal mining by OMC confirmed by CM: TDP

HYDERABAD: Telugu Desam Legislature Party has claimed that their charge of illegal mining by Obulapuram Mining Company was confirmed by the Chief Minister Y. S. Rajsekhara Reddy in his reply to the debate on the issue in the Assembly on Tuesday.

At a press conference here on Wednesday, N. Janardhan Reddy, deputy leader of TDLP and D. Umamaheswara Rao, MLA, quoted the Chief Minister having said that the OMC had exported 22.85 lakh tonnes of iron ore this year to China by Kakinada port alone, 20 lakh tonnes last year and 15.6 lakh tonnes two years ago.

Against permission

This was against the original permission cleared by the State and cleared by Centre to OMC for 3 lakh tonnes per annum and enhanced to 7.5 lakh tonnes capacity on February 6, 2006, after the Rajasekhara Reddy Government took over. That the company was able to export three times more than its sanctioned rated capacity showed that it had resorted to large scale illegal mining and encroachment of Forest areas, a fact confirmed by the Forest Department of Karnataka, they alleged.

They also described as “drama”, the charge by Dr. Reddy and also OMC promoter G. Janardhan Reddy that Telugu Nadu Students Federation hurled stones at the latter’s house. They showed a TV channel footage of a police officer saying there was no untoward incident except for a demonstration by TNSF members and their arrest.

At a separate press conference, TDP spokesman, M. V. Mysoora Reddy and E. Dayakar Rao, MLA, too charged Mines Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy with misleading the Assembly and people with her reply.

They said she did not explain as to why why no action was taken against OMC when the Bellary SP and Collector visited the place and confirmed illegal mining by OMC in 2005. The Forest and Mines departments of Karnataka also confirmed that the OMC had blasted an ancient Sugulamma Temple and GTS tower.

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