BENGALURU: Slamming the Karnataka government for attempting to reclaim HMT land worth several crores of rupees, Union Steel and Heavy Industry Minister HD Kumaraswamy said there is no question of handing over HMT land to the state government. “In case the government makes any attempt to reclaim the land, we will go to court,’’ he said.
Kumaraswamy spoke to the media on Tuesday in Bengaluru, where he objected to Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre’s allegation that HMT had sold forest land illegally to various private companies. He also questioned Khandre on what basis he was ordering reclamation of the land, when it belongs to HMT. “They have purchased the land. Does the forest minister know the history of HMT industry? He is misleading everyone,’’ he said.
There are 40 PSUs across the country, of which 26 are closed and the remaining are on the verge of closure. “After taking charge, I was working to revive PSUs and HMT is one such industry that gave jobs to thousands of people at six locations in the country, including Bengaluru, where 15,000 people were working,” he said.
Providing details of payments made in 1963 and 1965 for the land, Kumaraswamy said efforts to rejuvenate HMT began after he became Union minister, and when the revival was announced, its share value saw a significant rise from Rs 45 to Rs 95. He expressed frustration over the lack of cooperation and confusion created by the state government during this effort.
Want to revive KIOCL, VISL, says HDK
Bengaluru: HD Kumaraswamy has said soon after he became Union minister, he signed the file related to Kudremukh Iron Ore Company. “I signed it to send it to the finance department for financial aid. But Congress leaders alleged that I signed it to damage the environment by allowing it to take up mining,’’ he said, adding that thousands of employees working at KIOCL are in distress. He pointed out that during Siddaramaiah’s previous tenure, he had also approved mining by KIOCL at Sandur, and got permission from the environment department. Kumaraswamy said he is also trying to revive Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Limited at Shivamogga for which they need Rs 10,000 crore.
Will develop tree park on HMT land: Khandre
Bengaluru: The state forest department will develop the reclaimed land from HMT into a tree park, said Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre, who hit out at HD Kumaraswamy and said the forest land has been sold by HMT and not by the forest department. He said a tree park will be developed at Peenya, creating a lung space. The minister also alleged that HMT, which is under the Union government, is acting like a real estate agent and sold land to many private builders for Rs 313 crore, between 1997 and 2011. As per a 1896 gazette, the land has been mentioned as forest land. “Without denotifying or taking permission from the forest department, one cannot sell it,” he added.