Amar Singh against Petroleum Ministry

Lucknow, July 28: Admitting the delay in commencment of the Rs 10,000 crore power project at Dadri, Ghaziabad due to differences between Ambani brothers, the Samajwadi Party General Secretary Amar Singh today alleged that the petroleum ministry at the Centre was further precipitating the problem.

There will be an announcement from Anil Ambani in this regard which would remove an air of uncertainity about the project, Mr Singh told reporters on the sidelines of a seminar on Agro industry here.

The gas-based power project, first of its kind in this part of the world, had been delayed as several issues related to supply of gas had not been sorted out, Mr Singh said.

''This situation had arisen due to dispute between the Ambani brothers for which Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav and me should not be blamed'', he said.

Making a frontal attack on the Union Petroleum Minister Murli Deora charging him of favouring Mukesh Amabani whose Reliance industry had to supply the gas, the SP leader said 'Murli-Mukesh petroleum mantralaya' was creating all hurdles in supply and price mechanism of gas for the project.

Asserting the Dadri project was very much on, Mr Singh, also the Chairman of the UP Development Council, said the project could commence the next day the gas supply is assured. ''Sadly, the Congress-led government was allowing the project to be delayed.'' he said.

Coming down heavily on the former Prime Minister V P Singh for starting an agitation for compensation to farmers at Dadri project land, Mr Singh said he had made mountain out of mole. ''The farmers have been paid the compensation as per their consent but why the former PM is fuelling the issue raises doubts on his intentions,''the SP General Secretary said.

UNI