Minister adds fuel to Bayyaram fire
Minister adds fuel to Bayyaram fire
Union steel minister Beni Prasad Verma on Tuesday added fuel to the fire on the Bayyaram iron ore mines issue, saying his ministry has no plan to set up an integrated steel plant in the region.
The statement came when the minister met Telangana Congress MPs who were on a sit-in protest at the entrance to Parliament demanding separate statehood for Telangana. MPs Manda Jagannatham, Ponnam Prabhakar, Gutha Sukhender Reddy, S Rajaiah and G Vivek asked Verma about setting up of a steel plant in Telangana. But Verma said the iron ore available in Bayyaram was not high-grade and therefore not suitable for an integrated steel plant.
"The ore is of low grade. It will be useful only for producing pellets. At best, we could set up a pellet making unit," the minister told the MPs. He added that further quality testing needs to be done to ascertain the grade of the ore. He also said the Bayyaram lands have not been transferred to the Vizag Steel Plant (VSP).
The MPs, however, were not satisfied. Speaking later to TOI, Manda Jagannatham and Ponnam Prabhakar said they would not agree to the setting up of a pellet plant in Bayyaram as it would facilitate the transportation of the ore to plants outside Telangana.
"We will not allow the iron ore to be transported out of Telangana in any form. So, an integrated steel plant should come up near Bayyaram," Manda said. Prabhakar added that they would meet the Prime Minister in this regard.
Meanwhile, the sit-in programme attracted more supporters on Tuesday as it was the first night-out protest in the Parliament premises. Among those who met the MPs were Congress leaders S Jaipal Reddy, Ambika Soni, Akali leader SS Dinsa, former Rajya Sabha MP Kesava Rao as well as state ministers K Jana Reddy, B Saraiah and D Sridhar
Union steel minister Beni Prasad Verma on Tuesday added fuel to the fire on the Bayyaram iron ore mines issue, saying his ministry has no plan to set up an integrated steel plant in the region.
The statement came when the minister met Telangana Congress MPs who were on a sit-in protest at the entrance to Parliament demanding separate statehood for Telangana. MPs Manda Jagannatham, Ponnam Prabhakar, Gutha Sukhender Reddy, S Rajaiah and G Vivek asked Verma about setting up of a steel plant in Telangana. But Verma said the iron ore available in Bayyaram was not high-grade and therefore not suitable for an integrated steel plant.
"The ore is of low grade. It will be useful only for producing pellets. At best, we could set up a pellet making unit," the minister told the MPs. He added that further quality testing needs to be done to ascertain the grade of the ore. He also said the Bayyaram lands have not been transferred to the Vizag Steel Plant (VSP).
The MPs, however, were not satisfied. Speaking later to TOI, Manda Jagannatham and Ponnam Prabhakar said they would not agree to the setting up of a pellet plant in Bayyaram as it would facilitate the transportation of the ore to plants outside Telangana.
"We will not allow the iron ore to be transported out of Telangana in any form. So, an integrated steel plant should come up near Bayyaram," Manda said. Prabhakar added that they would meet the Prime Minister in this regard.
Meanwhile, the sit-in programme attracted more supporters on Tuesday as it was the first night-out protest in the Parliament premises. Among those who met the MPs were Congress leaders S Jaipal Reddy, Ambika Soni, Akali leader SS Dinsa, former Rajya Sabha MP Kesava Rao as well as state ministers K Jana Reddy, B Saraiah and D Sridhar
Comments
Post a Comment