The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Ministers divided on probe into ‘issues'

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Ministers divided on probe into ‘issues'

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: There was lack of unanimity among Ministers at the Cabinet meeting on Friday on the question of ordering inquiries into the grant of lease of iron ore mines in Bayyaram, police firing in Sompeta and the alleged irregularities in the upkeep of jewellery by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).

At a two-hour meeting chaired by Chief Minister K. Rosaiah, issues pertaining to the party's strategy for the bypolls, police firing on anti-power plant agitators, leasing out of mines in Khammam and the Telugu Desam Party's bid to politicise its visit to Babli irrigation project came up for discussion.

Bayyaram mines

The Chief Minister reportedly favoured a probe into the leasing of Bayyaram mines but Rural Development Minister Vatti Vasant Kumar is said to have opposed. He held that there was no need for an inquiry if the lease was in accordance with the government rules. A few other Ministers are also said to have concurred with this view.

Sompeta firing

Sources said Panchayat Raj Minister Botcha Satyanarayana drew flak for his demand for an inquiry into the Sompeta police firing.

His remark that Sompeta could turn into another Nandigram drew objections from Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao, who was slammed by the Opposition in the Assembly on Thursday.

Maintaining that the land acquired for the power plant was not suitable for cultivation, he lamented that the issue was being given a political colour.

Health Minister Danam Nagender noted that if Ministers started faulting the role of police, the latter would remain silent spectators when similar incidents took place in the future. Mr. Vasant Kumar said he wondered if the government would buckle under pressure and stop the Polavaram and Pranahita Chevella projects also.

TTD issue

Mr. Rosaiah is said to have preferred an inquiry into the TTD in the wake of series of complaints about upkeep of the jewellery.

But, Endowments Minister Gade Venkat Reddy reportedly said it would be difficult to account for the jewellery presented by the Vijayanagar ruler Srikrishnadevaraya. Forest Minister P. Ramachandra Reddy, who hails from Chittoor, supported the Chief Minister's view about the need to inquire into the jewellery issue.

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