Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: In a move which could leave its ally BJP red faced, JD (U) president, Sharad Yadav alleged on Monday that a "Bellary-like mining scam" is going on in Madhya Pradesh.
"In the mineral-rich region of Jabalpur, Katni, Satna, Sidhi and Singrauli, a scam along the lines of the one in Bellary is taking place,” Yadav said while talking to reporters in the national capital.
“No environmental clearances have been sought for carrying out mining and the mining mafias are wreaking havoc on forests,” he added.
The NDA convener has asked the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government to take stern action against the mineral smugglers.
Yadav’s comments came close on the heels of opposition Congress raising the issue of illegal mining during the ongoing Winter Session of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly.
Earlier, leader of the Opposition in Madhya Pradesh Assembly Ajay Singh alleged that the CM was shielding those involved in illegal mining. Singh has demanded a CBI inquiry into the whole issue.
MPCC media cell in-charge Manak Agrawal has filed a petition in a Bhopal court demanding that a criminal case be registered against the Chief Minister, Mining Minister Rajendra Shukla, Environment Minister Jayant Malaiya, Forest Minister Sartaj Singh and BJP national secretary Narendra Singh Tomar.
Agrawal in his petition has alleged companies involved in illegally have already mined more than 11 lakh metric tonne in the state, which is 12 times of the permissible quantity.
The mining plan of the Madhya Pradesh covers nearly a third of the state and reconnaissance permits have been issued to 93 companies.
