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PMO did not issue any order: Deora

Sandeep Joshi

Makes statement in House on Baalu issue

T.R.Baalu

NEW DELHI: Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora on Wednesday asserted that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) did not issue any order or instruction to help companies owned by Shipping Minister T.R. Baalu’s family members.

“Certain references were received from the Prime Minister’s Office in a routine manner without any recommendation on the basis of a representation made by Selvakumar Baalu, director of the company,” Mr. Deora said in a statement he read out in the Rajya Sabha amid protests from the Opposition.

“It may be stated that not a single cubic metre of gas has been supplied to the companies [owned by Mr. Baalu’s family members]. Since the issue relating to supply of gas is pending before the Delhi High Court …, the matter is sub judice,” Mr. Deora said. He, however, accepted that Mr. Baalu met him on the issue. “Mr. Baalu met me and briefed about the great injustice done to the workers and investors.”

The Petroleum Ministry had allocated 10,000 cubic metres of gas a day to Kings India Chemicals Corporation Limited and 4.5 lakh cubic metres of gas a day to Kings India Power Corporation Limited but the allocations were cancelled by the previous government on January 14, 2004, Mr. Deora said.

“Injustice alleged”

“A petition was received by Prime Minister [Manmohan Singh] in May 2005, signed by T.R.B. Rajaa, Chairman, Kings India Power Corporation Ltd., alleging that gross injustice has been done to them and that they have been severely discriminated against. A discussion was held in the PMO to ascertain the status; and the view of the Ministry of P&NG [Petroleum and Natural Gas] that it was not possible to give any relief to the petitioner was noted. Having failed to secure any relief from the government, the petitioner went to the Madras High Court in 2005,” Mr. Deora said.

In October 2007, a single-judge Bench ruled in the company’s favour. As the order was not implemented, the company filed a contempt petition. Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Power Producers Association and the Narimanam Zone Natural Gas Consumers Association filed appeals before a Division Bench, which on February 19, 2008 set aside the single-judge Bench order.

The Division Bench directed the government to decide upon the applications of the firms on merit. A writ petition was also filed by one independent Power Producers Association in the Delhi High Court, which issued a stay order. The matter was pending before the court.

Earlier, as Mr. Deora was about to start his speech, the Prime Minister left. BJP and AIADMK members insisted on a statement from Dr. Singh, not from Mr. Deora.

Led by Sushma Swaraj and AIADMK’s V. Maitreyan, the Opposition urged Deputy Chairman K. Rahman Khan to ask Dr. Singh to make a statement. Amid the din, Mr. Deora read out the statement.

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