Bayyaram lease cancelled

The Union ministry of mines has revoked exploration rights for the Bayyaram Iron Ore Mines which was earlier given to the AP Mineral Development Corporation. The development will now make the APMDC’s agreement with Rakshana Steels null and void.

Official sources said the Union ministry of mines has decided to revoke an earlier order reserving the mines for APMDC, which has exclusive rights to explore and mine ore in the area.

“The state government had asked the Centre to keep in abeyance the order reserving the mine for APMDC but the latter went a step ahead and cancelled the order itself,” a senior mines official said. The Union ministry sent a communication in this regard to the state.

The deal with Rakshana Steels had turned highly controversial as Opposition parties had alleged that the YSR government had favoured the company as the Kadapa MP, Mr Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s brother-in-law, Mr Anil Kumar, had a stake in it.