The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : ‘State defence in OMC case weak’

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

‘State defence in OMC case weak’

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: Continuing to build pressure on the government, Opposition parties staged a ‘dharna’ at Ambedkar Statue at Tank Bund here on Friday, demanding cancellation of the mining leases to Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) owned by Karnataka Minister G. Janardhan Reddy. Addressing the demonstrators, including MPs, MLAs, MLCs, TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu said the government had again shown its apathy to the “looting of mineral wealth” by not fielding the Advocate General to defend its own Divisional Forest Officer’s show cause notices to the OMC when the case came up before the High Court on Thursday.

The Rosaiah Government seems helpless and buckling under pressure from powerful sections of the Congress that had gone to the extent of shielding the guilty, he alleged. The Chief Minister’s assurance that he would study the issue was ridiculous as prima facie the OMC was found to be violating the Forest Conservation and other laws. Mr. Naidu made it clear that the Opposition’s agitation against the ‘mining mafia’ would continue till its activities were checked, illegally mined iron ore confiscated and licence cancelled.

CPI State Secretary K. Narayana said that the Opposition was determined to carry on the struggle and if necessary give a call for “Chalo Obulapuram”. The issue had nothing to do with GHMC elections, though the Congress was desperately trying to link it.

CPI (M) MLC Ch. Seetharamulu, demanded a halt to mining and wondered why the State Congress leaders were defending a BJP Minister of another State.

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