Hyderabad, August 02: Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu aidu on Monday demanded that the government immediately ban all iron ore exports from the state. He also demanded that the government release a White Paper on all exports of iron ore from the state since the past six years.
Talking to media persons at the NTR Trust Bhavan, Mr Naidu said that Karnataka has banned export of iron ore after an estimated that 30 million tons was illegally exported from that State in the last few years.
“Andhra Pradesh has more iron ore reserves than Karnataka and hence the quantity of ore exported illegally from the State could be much higher. Hence all exports of iron ore should be banned,” the TDP chief stated.
While the Congress in Karnataka is fighting against the ‘mining mafia’ and illegal export of mineral wealth, the State government is rolling out a red carpet and encouraging plundering of national wealth by certain elements, he alleged.
“Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa is taking tough decisions against his own Ministers’ interests vis-a-vis iron ore export. But the Andhra government is unduly favouring them and allowing export of iron ore illegally. The Congress government here is in a deep slumber,” the TDP chief said.
The government should prove its sincerity and release a White Paper on the iron ore exports from the State in the last six years, he demanded.
Referring to iron ore mining in Bayyaram and two other mandals in Khammam district, Mr Naidu said the government sought to hand over rich mineral spread over 1.40 lakh acres to the son-in-law of former chief minister late YS Rajasekhara Reddy though requisite environmental and forest clearances were not granted for mining activity.
The TDP would join the left parties in its fight against illegal mining in Khammam district on August 12, Naidu said.
“We will continue our nation-wide fight against the mining mafia with the support of other parties. We will fight the issue in Parliament as well,” he added.
—-INN—