The Hindu : Front Page : ‘No bowing to pressure on OMC’

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Monday, Nov 16, 2009
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‘No bowing to pressure on OMC’

Staff Reporter

Rosaiah cites convening of 3 meetings with State departments
Assures action only after in-depth study of the problem

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister K. Rosaiah on Sunday asserted that his government would not succumb to any kind of pressure in protecting the interests of the State in resolving the raging controversy over iron ore mining in Obulapuram in Anantapur district.

In a statement issued after a delegation of Opposition parties called on him, the Chief Minister said the government would act without any bias and there was no need for anyone to suspect the government’s sincerity in the issue as its track record spoke for itself.

Promises in-depth study

He had conveyed this view to a delegation of TDP, CPI, CPI (M), Lok Satta and Forward Bloc leaders headed by Leader of the Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu when it called on him at his residence.

Earlier, the Opposition leaders expressed their dissatisfaction over the Chief Minister’s response to their demand for cancelling the mining leases of Obulapuram Mining Company owned by Karnataka Tourism Minister Gali Janardhan Reddy.

Mr. Rosaiah recalled that he had convened three meetings with Mines and Geology, Forest and Environment and Revenue Departments even before the Opposition parties submitted him a memorandum. The Government would study the issue in depth and act transparently as its avowed policy was to protect public property.

Rebuts Naidu’s charge

The Chief Minister rebutted Mr. Chandrababu Naidu’s allegation that the State Government did not respond properly to their demand in the Obulapuram mining issue.

He said the government would act according to the law and would take action only after an in-depth study of the whole issue, he told the TDP representatives at the hour-long meeting.

Meanwhile, sources said that the Chief Minister, who is caught in the crossfire of allegations hurled against each other by the TDP leaders and Congressmen owing allegiance to Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy on the Obulapuram controversy, is determined not to be swayed by accusations from any quarter. “There will no knee-jerk reactions, just because political leaders have upped the ante on the OMC,” they said.

Already, three separate committees comprising officials of the Forest, Industries and Mines Departments had made detailed investigations and Mr. Rosaiah would himself look into the finer details of their reports before coming to any conclusions, sources added.

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