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| Firing salvo |
Bhubaneswar, Oct. 1: Union minister of state for chemicals and fertilisers Srikant Jena today asked chief minister Naveen Patnaik “to come clean on his links” with the Delhi-based Sainik Mining and Allied Services Company.
Jena’s swipe has come in the wake of the state government annulling its agreement with the company last week.
The coal ministry had allocated a coal block (Utkal-D) at Talcher to the Odisha Mining Corporation on December 19, 2003 to enable it to set up a power plant. But, the corporation transferred the block to the company on December 29, 2003 by entering into a joint venture with the company. While the company stakes in the venture were 74 per cent, the corporation’s share was a mere 26 per cent.
Raising this issue today, Jena said: “The CBI is looking into this aspect of transfer of coal blocks. Fearing a CBI inquiry, the state government cancelled the agreement in a haste. By cancelling the agreement, the state government has accepted its guilt.”
The minister sought to know why the state government had shown favour to the company. “This has to be answered by the chief minister himself. He must come clean on this,” said Jena.
On the other hand, senior BJP leader and former minister Bijoy Mohapatra demanded that action should be initiated against those, who had facilitated the agreement. “They should be punished,” he said.
However, the corporation’s chairman-cum-managing director Saswat Mishra said: “The state had done nothing wrong. If the CBI makes any inquiry, we are bound to submit all documents. There has been no malafide intention in this.”
Jena said: “The state government should also follow the same procedure and cancel the agreement between the mining corporation with Vedanta Alumina Authority on the exploration and supply of bauxite from the Niyamgiri hills in Kalahandi district.”
Accusing the government of violating all principles while signing the agreement with Vednata, the minister said: “Before signing an MoU for setting up of refinery plant at Lanjigarh, the corporation had entered into a pact on exploration of bauxite with Vedanta. It has clearly violated all rules.”
Stating that he was not against industrialisation, Jena said: “All minerals should be given to private parties at the market rate. To attract them to the state, they can be given minerals at a concessional rate.”