Siddu Challenges Yeddi to Come Clean on Illegal Mining Issue

From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Aug 30: Having put the B S Yeddyurappa regime on the defensive over allegations of illegal mining and other irregularities in Bellary and other parts of the state through their Bangalore to Bellary padayatra to press the demand for a CBI probe, the opposition Congress party on Monday August 30 upped the ante by alleging that illegal mining of iron ore was going on unabated.

Congress opposition leader in the Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah demanded that the chief minister should come clean by providing incontrovertible documentary evidence to prove that it had actually stopped all illegal mining activities, transport and export of iron ore from the state.

Siddaramaiah, who addressed a press conference, alleged that illegal mining was going on in Bellary district and that the Bellary Reddy brothers were exporting iron ore from Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu ports.

Contesting Yeddyurappa’s claims that the government had not issued licenses for mining and that illegal mining and export of iron ore had been stopped, Siddaramaiah pointed out that the Lokayukta has refuted the chief minister’s claims and stated that illegal mining was going on in the state and miners have been exporting iron ore from ports of other states.

Instead of making tall claims that the government has stopped illegal mining and banned export of ore, Yeddyurappa should prove his statement with documents to counter the Lokayukta’s reports, the Congress leader said.

He demanded that the government should divulge details of separate CID and Loyayukta probes on the five lac tons of iron ore that went missing from Belikeri port in Karwar.

The BJP government’s inability to check illegal mining and export of ore proves that the chief minister, who also holds mining and geology portfolio, was helpless, Siddaramaiah claimed.

Officials of Bellary district have colluded with the Reddy brothers – minister for infrastructure and tourism G Janardhana Reddy and minister for revenue G Karunakara Reddy – and allowed illegal mining to go on unchecked.

''Many officials, who were transferred from Bellary last year to cut the Reddy brothers to size,  were reverted to their earlier positions when these ministers threatened to bring the government down,” he said.

Siddaramaiah contented that the chief minister had issued five licenses for mining and recommended eight applications to the Centre for sanctioning licenses.

He charged Yeddyurappa with 'misleading' people on the issue by telling 'blatant lies,'  and criticised the chief minister for his baseless accusations against the Centre as control of illegally mined and exported ores was well within the state’s jurisdiction.
 

''Sack or Strip Sriramulu of Health Portfolio"
             
The Congress leader condemned the Yeddyurappa regime’s 'total failure' in checking the spread of A H1N1 or swine flu, dengue fever and chikungunya diseases, which have taken a heavy toll in the state in recent weeks, and demanded that the chief minister should either drop the health and family welfare minister B Sriramulu or at least switch his portfolio.
               
''Sriramulu has totally failed in handling the health and family welfare minsitry. He should either be dropped or stripped off the portfolio and shifted to some light portfolio like muzrai or small savings so that he cannot be allowed to play havoc with the lives of the people,” Siddaramaiah said.
               
The Congress opposition leader said the health and family welfare minister was busy in his political activities, including going round his Bellary district barefoot wearing black cloth and shaving off his head and moustaches.

''Sriramulu has not taken any serious measures to contain the spread of diseases which claimed the lives of several people in the state,” he said pointing out that swine flu has claimed 95 lives.
               
He termed the minister’s statement that the state ''is better off compared to some other states in terms of deaths caused due to diseases” as nothing but arrogance and ''utter rubbish.”
               
The minister does not know nor is able to understand the plight and sufferings of the people, Siddaramaiah said and alleged that the government hospitals had no medicines and other facilities to treat patients suffering from dengue, chikungunya and swine flu diseases.
               
The poor patients cannot afford expensive treatment offered by private hospitals, where the government’s writ does not run, Siddaramaiah alleged.