The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : YSR colluding with Reddy brothers: JD(S)

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Wednesday, Apr 29, 2009
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YSR colluding with Reddy brothers: JD(S)

Special Correspondent

Rajasekhara Reddy accused of shielding Janardhan Reddy and Karunakar Reddy
‘Andhra Pradesh yet to respond to Centre’s directive on suspension of mining licence’

BANGALORE: The Janata Dal (Secular) has accused Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy of colluding with “Reddy brothers” — Janardhan Reddy and Karunakar Reddy — both of whom are Ministers in the Bharatiya Janata Party Government in Karnataka in the “wanton looting” of mineral wealth of the State.

Though the Centre, in a letter dated April 22, directed Congress-ruled Andhra Pradesh to suspend the mining license given to Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) owned by Mr. Janardhan Reddy and Mr. Karunakar Reddy till the Survey of India demarcated the mining areas, Mr. Rajasekhar Reddy hurriedly sent a reply on April 25 arguing that the boundaries of the mines had been fixed and there was no need for a fresh survey, Janata Dal (Secular) leader M. Raghupathy said

Addressing presspersons here on Tuesday, Mr. Raghupathy accused the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister of shielding Mr. Janardhan Reddy and Mr. Karunakar Reddy, who had “altered” the inter-State border of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and were carrying out mining activities illegally.

Response

Reliable sources in the Regional office of Union Ministry of Environment and Forests in Bangalore told The Hindu that the Andhra Pradesh was yet to respond to the Centre’s directive on suspension of mining licence given to OMC and a few other mining companies.

“According to information available with us, the Andhra Pradesh Government is still in the process of preparing a reply to the Centre’s directive,” a senior official said.

The Centre had sent the directive to Andhra Pradesh on the basis of a report submitted by the Regional office of MoEF that stated that the mining areas had not been properly demarcated on the grounds and hence it was difficult to ascertain whether mining activity was restricted to the approved leased area or not.

It is also learnt that the April 25 letter issued by the Andhra Pradesh Government does not pertain to the Centre’s latest directive on suspension of mining licenses to OMC and other mining companies. But, it relates to a dispute over the mining area between two lessees.

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