The Telangana Telugu Desam Forum (TTDF) on Friday demanded immediate cancellation of orders allotting iron ore mines in Bayyaram to the Vizag Steel Plant and pressed for setting up of an integrated steel plant at Bayyaram.
A TTDF delegation led by its convenor E Dayakar Rao and MP Nama Nageswara Rao submitted a memorandum to this effect to Governor ESL Narasimhan. TTDF leaders claimed that the Governor responded positively. If the Governor did not act within three days, they would meet the President and submit a memorandum, they said.
The TTDF members termed the allocation of Bayyaram mines to the Vizag Steel Plant “irrational” and told the Governor that 1.4 lakh acres were allotted to the Rakshana Steels belonging to the son-in-law of YS Rajasekhara Reddy through APMDC in February, 2009.
Later, the TDP took up a series of agitations questioning the allotment of these mines to Rakshana Steels. TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu also visited Bayyaram and demanded a steel plant in the region, they said and added that as a result, the government cancelled the allotment of lease to Rakshana Steels. “But, unfortunately, the government has allotted the same mines to the Vizag Steel Plant this time,” the TTDF said.
The TTDF explained to the Governor that Khammam district had 27.37 per cent tribal population and these mines were located in tribal areas.
“Therefore, tribals have the right to get benefits of employment through iron ore mining,” the TTDF said.
Babu Regrets Tie-up with TRS
Hyderabad: Continuing his tirade against the TRS and the YSRC, TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday lambasted both for allegedly extorting money and indulging in corruption. Addressing a meeting after inducting TRS senior leader Dommati Sambaiah from Warangal district into the party at the NTR Bhavan, Naidu termed the TRS extortionist and the YSRC corrupt. “The TRS has no other business except submitting resignations of its MLAs, going for elections and collecting money. I do not understand what the TRS has done in the last 12 years,” Naidu said, adding that because of alliance with the TRS, the TDP had lost a majority of seats in Telangana.
“If there was no poll-pact with the TRS, the TDP would have won more seats and formed government in 2009,” he said. Sambaiah was appointed party incharge of the Warangal LS segment.