The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Mining lease issue rocks A.P. Assembly

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Friday, Mar 14, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Mining lease issue rocks A.P. Assembly

Rajasekhara Reddy defends leases; TDP members suspended

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy strongly defended mining leases given for extracting iron ore, bauxite and granite reserves in the State claiming that all these were done in a fair and transparent manner.

On a day of high voltage drama in the Assembly, the Telugu Desam Party and the Treasury benches were engaged in heated exchanges over the bauxite mining lease issue. Jindal South West Aluminium Limited and Ras-al-Khaimah, a kingdom in United Arab Emirates, are setting up alumina refineries respectively near S. Kota and Makavarapalem. The State-owned AP Mineral Development Corporation will mine the bauxite reserves and meet the requirement for the proposed plant.

The noisy protests by the TDP members culminated in their suspension after they repeatedly prevented Dr. Reddy from making a statement. CPI (M), CPI and the BJP members later staged a walkout expressing displeasure at the Chief Minister’s reply.

Aggressive reply

Amid all the furore, Dr. Reddy gave an aggressive reply lasting over 90 minutes to personal allegations levelled against him by T. Devender Goud (TDP) that he and his relatives were ‘looting’ mineral resources after bagging mining lease.

Visibly upset by the accusations, the Chief Minister sharply attacked the previous TDP Government.

He said it was the then TDP regime that had issued permit to Gali Janaradhan Reddy to extract ore at Obulapuram. On the galaxy granite mining in Prakasam district, he said: “The TDP Government cancelled the lease but the owners obtained court orders and continued mining. How can they now allege that these leases were given by the Congress Government with ulterior motive?” he asked.

Not involved

Dr. Reddy asserted that none of his family or relatives were even remotely involved with the developers of these mines as alleged.

“TDP leaders are indulging in mudslinging as they are jealous, shaken and perturbed over the rapid strides made by the Congress regime on the all fronts particularly, industrial sector,” he noted. Seeking to allay the fears about the impact of bauxite mining, he said it would not affect the tribals and pointed out that the proposed alumina plant in S. Kota mandal in Vizianagaram was outside the agency area and did not violate the 1/70 Act. He said the revenue from the royalty and other taxes would be used for the welfare of the tribals.

Once the alumina plant was set up, employment for 20,000 tribals was assured.

On AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi’s remark that he would agitate against the bauxite mining along with tribals in Orissa, Dr. Reddy said the bauxite plant in the neighbouring State was set up by a private company while in the case of Andhra Pradesh, the APMDC would extract bauxite in Araku valley.

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