Three MPs from East Godavari district — Pandula Ravindra Babu (Amalapuram), Thota Narasimham (Kakinada) and M. Muralimohan (Rajamahendravaram) — are going to move a privilege motion in the ensuing Parliament session against ONGC Chairman Shashsi Shanker. At a media conference, Mr. Ravindra Babu and Mr. Narasimham explained why they wanted to move the motion and other issues related to the ONGC K.G. Basin in Kakinada on Saturday.
Mr. Ravindra Babu said the ONGC Chairman had visited Kakinada recently without informing them and the district Ministers and his visit was kept a secret. He said it was the minimum responsibility of the Chairman to meet the local MPs and know the issues relating to the oil and gas industry. “The K.G. Basin is the biggest source of income for all the oil and gas companies, particularly State-owned ONGC and at least ₹100 crore of turnover is from this region per day. However, the ONGC is neglecting this region in providing basic amenities, employment and infrastructure,” they said.
Corrupt activities
He alleged that Asset Manager of Kakinada offshore Aloknandan was involved in many corrupt activities and the offshore constructions at Odalarevu were the best example for it. He said the immediate subordinate of Mr. Aloknandan was caught by the CBI and the Asset Manager’s name was also in the records of the CBI. He demanded CBI custody of Mr. Aloknandan immediately.
He said he was suspecting that the ‘secret’ visit was part of saving the Asset Manager and alleged that the Chairman himself was facing vigilance cases. He said as a member of the Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas and Mr. Narasimham and Mr. Muralimohan as members of the Consultative Committee of Parliament for the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, they would brief Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Minister concerned Dharmendra Pradhan about the sheer negligence of issues related to the KG Basin region. The two MPs said they would also brief Mr. Pradhan about the corrupt activities of Mr. Aloknandan.
