Hyderabad, November 22: The scathing report presented by the Supreme Court appointed Empowered Committee (CEC) on illegal mining in Anantapur district has added more pressure on the State Government with Opposition as well as ruling party leaders demanding immediate action.
The panel called for immediate suspension of mining activity by the Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) owned by Karnataka minister Gali Janardhan Reddy and was also critical of the State Government for not being impartial.
Leaders of the Telugu Desam, PRP and senior Congress MP V Hanumanth Rao demanded that the Government take steps to implement the panel’s recommendations immediately. They also sought cancellation of licences given to the OMC, prosecution of Gali Janardhan Reddy and others, confiscation of stocks of iron ore in various ports from Kandla to Krishnapatnam and criminal proceedings against all officials who aided the OMC.State Govt feels SC panel goad against illegal miningState Govt feels SC panel goad against illegal mining
Speaking to mediapersons, TDP president and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu slammed Chief Minister K Rosaiah for protecting his chair by not acting against the OMC.
‘‘This is for the first time that an empowered committee of the apex court has passed such strictures against a State Government. It has proved what we have been saying all along and has clearly exposed the nexus between former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy and Gali Janardhan Reddy,’’ Naidu asserted.
Naidu warned that if the government failed to take immediate action against the company, the TDP, along with like-minded parties, would resort to direct action and stop the mining activity.
Congress Rajya Sabha member Hanumanth Rao said the mining scam was much bigger than the Harshad Mehta scandal. ‘‘After creating trouble in Karnataka politics, the Gali brothers are trying to do the same in AP,’’ he said.
PRP leaders C Ramachandraiah and K Vidyadhar Rao said Janardhan Reddy should resign as minister in the wake of the SC Committee’s report and face prosecution.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Rosaiah said the government would abide by the directives that would be given by the Supreme Court based on the CEC report.
—Agencies