From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Jun 29: Senior Congress leader and former minister H K Patil, who has been very vocal against the sale of land to JSW Steels Ltd in Ballari district, has written a strongly worded letter to Home Minister M B Patil, who heads the Cabinet Sub-Committee appointed to examine the issue, demanding that nine key objections be considered thoroughly before sending any recommendations to the state cabinet.

In a detailed three-page letter, H K Patil has argued that any land allotment to big industry houses should be governed by industrial policy, transparency and mines and minerals policy of the Government of India and mining policy of the state government.

Any big allotments of lands must be made only on need based and sensitive consideration of all the important parameters he said.

With the budget session of the State Legislature scheduled to commence from July 12, the JSW land issue as well as the mega fraud by the IMA Group of absconding Mansoor Ali Khan are expected to figure prominently in both houses of the Legislature.

Listing out the major objections and allegations against Jindal, H K Patil said the JSW Steels owes dues to state owned Mysore Minerals Ltd to the tune of Rs 2000 crore.

CAG objections, report of the estimates committee of the Karnataka legislative assembly, the letter written by the Committee on public undertakings of the Legislative assembly all confirm the dues to MML by JSW steels, the Congress leader said.

While special investigation team of the Karnataka Lok Ayukta has registered an FIR no 30/2014 on 19/11/2014 for cheating government of Karnataka against JSW, the report of the Lok Ayukta on illegal mining in its chapter 23 lists out the crime committed by the company JSW causing a loss of Rs 324 crore to the state exchequer, H K Patil said.

Making a special reference to the point raised in the opinion of the then State Advocate General that, 'It is important to note that the alleged illegal sale of iron ore was prior to the lease-cum sale agreement dated 28-7-2006'.

"This observation of the Advocate General is far from the truth because the JSW purchased the overloaded ore from the various illegal miners causing loss to the state exchequer which was during 2009-10. The cabinet sub-committee should collect information regarding this and consider before making recommendations," the Congress leader demanded.

He also questioned the propriety of even considering the application of the JSW for land allotment when huge dues are pending. Allotment of land at throwaway price is also a cause of concern.

"Before making recommendations, the cabinet sub-committee should make sure that all conditions of the lease cum sale agreement are not violated, the Congress leader asked the Home Minister.

"The State Commerce and Industries department has issued a notification that the mineral deposits belong to pattadars of the patta land holders on March 5, 2014. If this sale deed is executed, it will be a patta land of the Jindal and the state would lose all it rights on the mineral deposits in the lands in question. This issue needs to be specifically considered before on priority," the letter said.