Congress hails IMG recommendations

Raipur, November 07, 2012

Congress has hailed the recommendations of Centre’s inter-ministerial group (IMG) to deallocate Bhatgaon-II & Bhatgaon-II extension coal blocks which were allocated to Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Corporation (CMDC) in 2007.

“The IMG recommendations bolster our allegations against the BJP government that it has done irregularities in coal blocks allocation,” said CLP leader Ravindra Choubey and senior party MLA Mohammad Akbar on Wednesday.

“The Union Coal ministry assigned the two coal blocks to the mining lease joint venture (JV) company formed by CMDC, SMS Infrastructure Limited (SMSIL) owned by Ajay Sancheti who is close to BJP president Nitin Gadkari and Solar Explosives Limited (SEL),” they said.

“Although the mining lease was on the name of CMDC, it was responsibility of SMSIL and SEL to implement the project by obtaining clearance/approval from all the departments (including mining lease, forest clearance, etc) and by acquiring lands and rehabilitating the displaced ones,” they said.

“The SMSIL and SEL stalled project implementation by 16 months and also delayed coal excavation works by 14 months. The SMSIL and SEL had deposited Rs 35.04 crore with the CMDC as performance guarantee bond. Since the coal blocks have been deallocated, the performance guarantee bond should be seized,” they demanded.

“Sancheti’s company was expert in civil works, not in mining works. The CMDC gave the job of exploration and excavation of two coal blocks this company despite its ineligibility. Eventually, IMG recommended for deallocation of both the coal blocks,” they said.

“If mining had been done in both the coal blocks (with total capacity of about 80 MT), the government exchequer would have gained Rs 24000 crore. Certainly, chief minister Raman Singh is responsible for this massive loss. He should step down on moral grounds,” they said.

“Further, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) says that the government incurred loss of Rs 1052 crore due to difference in two tenders for the coal blocks. As a mining minister, Raman Singh is again responsible for this loss,” they added.

They advised the CM to follow Gadkari in expressing readiness for any type of inquiry on self. “There are allegations against the CM pertaining to his involvement in irregularities in coal blocks allocation and putting the state at loss by Rs 1052 crore. He must himself advocate for inquiry on these allegations,” they said.