The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : OMC row: Naidu to approach Centre

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Wednesday, Nov 11, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

OMC row: Naidu to approach Centre

Special Correspondent

Mining mafia a threat to democracy: Naidu
Party demands an all-party meeting to discuss the issue

HYDERABAD: Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday said the party would take up the issue of illegal mining and siphoning of funds by Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) with the Prime Minister, the Union Finance Minister and the Central Vigilance Commission.

Addressing a press conference, Mr. Naidu said he would write letters to Prime Minister and other top functionaries as both the State and Central government officials seemed to be shielding OMC owner and Karnataka Minister Gali Janardhan Reddy instead of taking action. They seemed to be unconcerned over the growing influence of the ‘mining mafia’ and the threat posed by it to democracy.

The party would not leave the issue and launch a struggle soon against this ‘mafia’ along with like-minded parties, he said.

‘Cover-up operation’

Mr. Naidu said the series of events of the last few days beginning with the Anantapur Divisional Forest Officer issuing notices to the OMC raised doubts over existence of governance. When the DFO proceeds to take action, he is stopped by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, he recalled. Instead three Forest department officers are sent to launch a cover-up operation, he said.

An official who gets his brother-in-law appointed as director of OMC, continues to hold both the posts of Director of Mines and Managing Director of AP Mineral Development Corporation, he said. Survey of India is not allowed to conduct a survey. Vigilance and Enforcement officials are prevented from inquiring into illegal mining activity. Profits are siphoned off to hitherto unknown companies, Red Gold and R. R. Global, Mr. Naidu alleged.

‘Jagan is involved’

Asked if he thought former Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s son, Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy was behind all this, he replied. “Who else could it be? Everybody knows that the brother of a top executive of Mr. Jagan’s newspaper, is the director of RR Global,” Mr. Naidu equipped.

To a question on whether Chief Minister K. Rosaiah was scared to take action because of involvement of influential people, he said he preferred to leave it to his wisdom but said it is a fact that no action is forthcoming. In fact there’s a risk of tampering with the files, he said and demanded that they be kept with the Assembly Speaker and an all-party meeting be convened to discuss the issue.

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