JOIN USIn a statement, OMC managing director V Srinivas Reddy termed as a “very vague allegation”, the observation made by the CEC that OMC was indulging in illegal mining outside the approved area.
“The Supreme Court-appointed composite survey committee headed by the Additional Surveyor General of India has submitted a detailed survey report that OMC has occupied the deficit area apart from what was leased to them. Therefore, the question of mining outside the approved mining lease area does not arise” Reddy stated.
On the CEC’s observation that the mining lease of 68.5 hectares of OMC should be cancelled, as the lease deed executed by the mines department differed materially from forest area, Reddy said the sketches were approved by the State and Central governments, including the ministry of environment and forests and the ministry of mines. “No fault can be found with the lessee,” he said.
Reddy has also countered the CEC observation that five roads had been illegally constructed in the reserved forest outside the approved lease area.
“No new roads outside the lease area was laid by OMC. The existing old road was repaired. For laying internal roads, compounding fee was paid by OMC. Despite filing proof of payments, the CEC ignored it,” Reddy said in a statement.
Panel report not final: Reddy
Tourism Minister and owner of the controversial Obulapuram Mining Company, Janardhana Reddy, on Monday said the Central Empowered Committee of the Supreme Court had recommended cancellation of mining leases based on technicalities and that his mining firms in Andhra Pradesh were not involved in encroachment.
“It is wrong to say companies owned by me in Andhra Pradesh had done illegal mining.... Nowhere in the CEC report is it mentioned the companies have encroached on land beyond the lease area,” he informed the Legislative Council.
Reddy made the clarification when the Opposition members raised the issue of illegal mining, quoting the CEC report.
He said the Supreme Court had given him 15 days’ time to file objections to the CEC report. “The report is not final. Nothing has been proved as yet. I will file my objection and the court will decide what is true and what is not....Hence, it is not proper to unnecessarily raise the issue in the House.”