Former Minister writes to CM seeking annulment of decision

Some voices within the coalition government have now expressed dissent over the decision to sell 3,666 acres to JSW Steel in Sandur taluk of Ballari district.

The government had taken the decision in the Cabinet meeting on Monday in accordance with an agreement signed over a decade ago.

The government allocated the land to JSW Steel under a lease-cum-sale agreement in 2006 and the lease was for 10 years.

Taking exception to the decision, senior Congress leader and former Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) H.K. Patil has written to Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy to annul the decision.

Mr. Patil had also headed a Cabinet sub-committee to oversee steps taken on a Lokayukta report about illegal mining in the State in the previous government.

Mr. Patil, in his letter, recalled the recommendation of the sub-committee to consider the long-term impact on the State Exchequer while sanctioning land for industries connected to steel and mining.

Mr. Patil said he had raised the issue of JSW owing huge dues to the State-owned Mysore Minerals Limited (MML).

He said that instead of recovering the dues, selling 3,666 acres is not the right decision.

“The decision also violates new industrial policy (2014-19), which facilitates lease-cum-sale of land for 99 years, which was aimed to protecting the government land. The decision will be detrimental to the land bank, ore treasure, which are invaluable assets for the government,” he said.

State president of the JD(S) A.H. Vishwanath also expressed his discontent over the government’s decision.

Meanwhile, State BJP president B.S. Yeddyurappa reiterated that the party will launch a campaign against the decision and added that the party’s State core committee will meet in Bengaluru on June 5 to decide the nature of campaign.

JSW clarifies

However, JSW Steel, in its communication, clarified that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Karnataka government in 1995 and paid the price fixed for the land.

The company provided jobs to the landlosers and fulfilled all the conditions. The sale transaction was delayed because of the polls, added the company.