Delay in ordering mining probe irks KPCC

Mr. Chennithala criticised Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan for his silence on an episode that took place during his tenure as Chief Minister.

KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala on Monday demanded a probe into the previous LDF government’s decision to go in for a survey for iron ore mining in the high ranges of Kozhikode district. He also criticised the State government for dillydallying on announcing the probe.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Chennithala, who announced his fact-finding mission to Chakkittapara, the area surveyed for iron ore mining, said the LDF and the CPI(M) should explain the circumstances leading to the decision allowing MSPL, a private company, to conduct the survey overlooking its links with the controversial Bellary brothers (Janardhana and Karunakara Reddy who own iron ore mining business in Karnataka).

He criticised Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan for his silence on an episode that took place during his tenure as Chief Minister.

Mr. Chennithala said there were several gaps in the decision-making process that needed to be cleared - whether Forest Minister Benoy Viswom had cleared the relevant files, whether the Cabinet had considered the matter, and the reason for disregarding a bid of the Central public undertaking Kudremukh Iron Ore Ltd. and selecting MSPL.

Mr. Chennithala also questioned the claims that the Centre had given sanction for the project.

The KPCC president said the advertisement of a controversial businessman carried in

Deshabhimani , the CPI(M)’s organ, in connection with the party’s plenum showed the extent to which decadence had seeped into the functioning of the party. It also reflected the deep-rooted ties the party had with certain economic forces.

With regard to the presence of the accused in the T.P. Chandrasekharan murder case on Facebook, Mr. Chennithala criticised the Home Minister for the lapse. He wanted the Home Department to be more cautious since it was a keenly watched case, more for its political undercurrents. He said the Home Minister would be in Kozhikode for an on-the-spot assessment on Tuesday.