Govt defends Guj Ambuja license cancellation; TDP meets Guv

Hyderabad, Apr 5 (UNI) The Andhra Pradesh government today justified its decision to cancel the mining lease given to cement major Gujarat Ambuja Limited, even as the main opposition TDP sought the intervention of the Governor relating to grant of mining lease to a company in which Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, son of Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, is a director.

Accusing the opposition of indulging in ''mudslinging to gain political mileage,'' Mines Minister P Sabita Reddy said the cancellation of the license was ''legal.'' She said the Centre had also concurred with the State Government's decision as Gujarat Ambuja, which had been given prospecting license six years ago, had not taken up the mining project for so long.

The TDP, which tried hard to scuttle the irrigation initiative, was putting spokes to industrial development of the state, she alleged, adding the opposition party was now creating hurdles to Industrial development of the state.

A delegation of TDP legislators, led by TDLP Secretary E Dayakar Rao, called on Governor Rameshwar Thakur, and alleged that the cancellation of the license was illegal and sought his intervention.

Rejecting the opposition demand for placing the file concerned before Speaker K R Suresh Reddy, the minister said, ''let the opposition invoke the provisions of the Right to Information Act and get whatever details it wants on the issue.'' Stating that the previous TDP government had given over 790 acres to the construction major Larsen and Toubro at just Rs 4,000 per acre, she said nearly 800 prospecting licenses had been given to interested firms this year, whereas neighbouring Tamil Nadu had given only 15 licenses.

UNI