Cong stages walkout over 'officials-industrialists nexus'

Main opposition Congress today staged a walk-out from the Chhattisgarh Assembly here, alleging a nexus between industrialists and officials of the Water Resources Department which allegedly caused a revenue loss of Rs 11,000 crore.
Opposition presented an adjournment motion in this regard but Speaker refused to allow a debate on it.
Raising the issue, Congress MLA Mohammed Akabar said Swastik Sponge and Power Ltd had set up a plant in Kanberi village, adjoining Right Bank Canal of Hasdeo Barrage, in Korba district.
The plant did not have road access and depended on the service road of canal, so it sought permission from Water Resources Department to build and upgrade the service road for loaded trucks in 2008.

Akabar alleged that permission was granted going out of the way.
Further, Coal India Limited informed the department that around 500 MT coal deposits had been located beneath a portion of the canal, and proposed to divert the canal so that it could mine this coal, from which the state could have had earned Rs 11,000 crore in royalty, he said.

CIL had even sanctioned amount for the diversion, but the state ignored this communication, the MLA alleged.
State Congress chief Nandkumar Patel said the private company was now using the road to transport raw materials and finished goods, which was damaging the lining of the canal. Leader of Opposition Ravindra Choubey said there were earlier instances where water bodies were sold to the industries.

The government must give a reply, he said. But as the Speaker refused to admit the motion, Congress MLAs staged a walk out.