By SNV Sudhir
Visakhapatnam, April 22, 2013: TRS leaders who visited the Bayyaram mines in the Telangana
region on Monday vowed not to allow Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) to mine
iron ore in the region even as a stir on the issue is gaining ground.
The regional divide between the Seemandhra and Telangana
leaders on allocation of Bayyaram mines to VSP by the state government has
further widened with infrastructure and ports minister, Ganta Srinivasa Rao
taking potshots and issuing threats to his counterparts in T region.
He said that it was improper on the part of Telangana
leaders to use iron as the bone of contention. “It is a natural resource
belonging to the nation”, Srinivas Rao said, “It doesn’t belong to any one
region. The VSP is a public sector undertaking, its a national property.”
He said there was a power plant coming up in Karimnagar
which was based on gas supplies from the KG Basin, which is in the Andhra
region. “What if we do not allow gas supply to the 2,100MW power plant,?” said
the minister, at a gate meeting held near VSP here on Monday, alluding to the
Telangana protagonists blocking iron ore mining and transportation from
Bayyaram to Vizag.
“We are also chalking out a plan, after consulting various
groups, to hold a meeting to decide the future course of action to get Bayyaram
mines for VSP,” the minister added.
He also reiterated that there would not be any deviation
from the state government’s allocation order. While it would be not be feasible
to set up a steel plant near Bayyaram, a pellets plant could be set up which
would provide employment in the Telangana region, he said.
Trade unions, cutting across party affiliations, took part
in the gate meeting. “We have all decided to launch a stir on a massive scale
if VSP is not allowed to mine in Bayyaram. We demand that the Obulapuram mines
also be allocated to VSP. We have experience of achieving steel plants after
prolonged protests and many sacrifices,” said VSP-recognized trade union
president D. Adinarayana.
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