Hyderabad, November 16: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu today alleged that the State Government was unable to take any action on the “illegal mining’’ by the Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) owned by Karnaktaka Minister Gali Janardhan Reddy.
Leading a delegation of parties comprising the TDP, LSP, CPI, CPM, New Democracy and All-India Forward Bloc to Chief Minister K Rosaiah today, he demanded that all mines in the State be nationalised.
Speaking to reporters later, he said the chief minister had expressed inability to take any action straight away and sought more time to study the issue.
Naidu demanded that all OMC leases be cancelled, global tenders invited afresh, and iron ore illegally stored by OMC confiscated.
CPI state secretary K Narayana said that as part of the all-party agitation the CPI would obstruct the transport of iron ore from Obulapuram to Krishnapatnam tomorrow.
“The OMC issue was a test for the chief minister and the people had been hoping he would pass it,’’ CPM state secretary BV Raghavulu said, adding: “Rosaiah has enjoyed a good reputation in his long innings in politics. He should not spoil the record in the last phase of his career.’’ Demanding that leases of all mines be allotted on the basis of competitive bidding by inviting global tenders, Lok Satta Party (LSP) president Jayaprakash Narayan said minerals were the assets of the people and private companies should not be allowed to reap windfall profits out of them.
The leaders reiterated their demand for a CBI probe into irregularities by the OMC and demanded that the State Government place all relevant files before the Assembly Speaker.
Urging the government to appoint a probe panel with all-India services officers, they sought the tracking down of the real beneficiaries behind the Red Gold Company which was bestowed with shares by the OMC.
CPI(ML) New Democracy state committee member K Govardhan and All-India Forward Bloc State convener Deshpande also accompanied Naidu in the meeting with the chief minister.
—Agencies