HC asks CBI to probe limestone mining in Guntur

HYDERABAD: Wondering why the Comptroller and Auditor General needs a court order to do an audit of limestone mining at Gurajala and Piduguralla areas of Guntur district, the Hyderabad high court on Tuesday made a critical remark against the state of AP for ordering a CID probe only after the court took up the matter and that too only after the court brought in CBI and CAG as respondents.
The bench of Chief Justice T B Radhakrishnan and Justice S V Bhatt was hearing a public interest plea filed by TGV Krishna Reddy of Guntur district who brought to the notice of the court about the rampant mining being done in the area without any licenses and also about hundreds of crores of rupees loss to the exchequer which would have got it in the form of royalty, seigniorage fee etc had it been done in a legal manner.
The bench brushed aside the argument of AP advocate general Dammalapati Srinivas who told the court about their decision to entrust the matter to CBCID. The bench reminded him that the state's action was only after the court's intervention.Gurajala MLA Yerapathineni Srinivas Rao is facing charges of being the kingpin behind this loot. His counsel told the court that the petitioner is a political rival and hence is making the allegations. But the bench remained unconvinced and wanted the CAG to conduct an audit of the mining done in the area. The case will come up next week again.
CBI which was brought in as a party to the case made some enquiries and came to a conclusion that neither the CAG nor the ministry of mines submitted any reports in the matter so far. Even the Lokayukta has found fault with the AP authorities for their dubious role in the matter.