Bjp Member Opposes Setting Up Steel Plant At Bastar

BJP member opposes setting up steel plant at Bastar

by PTI

21st February 2006

BJP member opposes setting up steel plant at Bastar Raipur, Feb 20 : The ruling BJP government in Chhattisgarh today faced an embarrassment in the Assembly when a party legislator opposed the setting up of a steel plant at Tata at Bastar and demanded change in site.

"People of Bastar are angry that the Tata is planning to set up its proposed steel plant in a place which is not only prosperous but also having high density of population", tribal MLA from Bastar, Lachchuram Kashyap told the state assembly.

Opposing the statement of Finance Minister Amar Agrawal that the steel plant was proposed in Bastar so as to remove underdevelopment from that area, Kashyap said when the local people are opposing the plant to be set up in that area, why it was not being moved to a place which is underdeveloped and more poorer.

The statement of the BJP MLA was welcomed by the Opposition benches with thumping of desk but the Finance Minister, in a face saving situation, said all the peoples' representatives would be consulted before taking a final decision on the matter.

Such apprehensions are expressed when ever a new plant is set up and the matter would be resolved by discussion, the Minister said.

Earlier, the Congress MLAs, led by Deputy Opposition member Bhupesh Baghel, accused the state government of showing special favour to Tata and Essar because of which their MoUs are being treated as a state secret and are not making public.