Karnataka cabinet sub-committee on sale of land to JSW Steel formed
Bengaluru, Jun 26: The Karnataka government has constituted a four-member cabinet sub-committee headed by state Home Minister M B Patil to examine the proposal regarding the sale of 3,667 acres land to JSW Steel at Ballari and make a suitable recommendation.
The other members of the cabinet sub-committee include Cooperation Minister Bandeppa Kashempur, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Krishna Byre Gowda and Social Welfare Priyank Kharge.
The Karnataka cabinet had recently decided to convert the lease of 3,667 acres to JSW Steel at Ballari into sale, in accordance with the initial agreement.
However, amid a row over the decision that drew opposition from various quarters, also the BJP and within, the cabinet once again discussed the issue on June 14 and decided to refer it to a cabinet sub-committee.
Accusing the government of selling the land to the company at a throwaway price (Rs 1.22-1.50 lakh per acre), the BJP had held a two-day round-the-clock sit-in.
State BJP president B S Yeddyurappa has even accused the ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition of getting "kickbacks" for the sale of land.
Causing embarrassment to the coalition, senior Congress leader H K Patil has been opposing the sale by writing a series of letters to the government.
He has maintained that the company had been accused of illegal mining and that it owed dues to the government and state-run Mysore Minerals Ltd.
Amid the row, JSW Steel chairman and managing director Sajjan Jindal had said the firm never does anything "illegal" or "disadvantage" to the people of Karnataka.
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Death toll in Mundathikode fireworks explosion rises to 16
Thrissur (Kerala) (PTI): One more person who had been hospitalised following the Mundathikode fireworks explosion died at Thrissur Medical College on Sunday, police said.
With this, the death toll in the incident has risen to 16.
According to Thrissur Medical College police, the deceased has been identified as Unnikrishnan from Edappal, who was among the 38 persons present at the fireworks manufacturing unit in Mundathikode where the explosions occurred on April 21.
Police said Unnikrishnan had suffered over 80 per cent burns and had remained in critical condition.
The condition of the two other injured persons remains critical, police said.
Of the 38 persons present at the site, 16 have died, while four remain missing.
The fireworks were being manufactured for Thiruvambady Devaswom as part of the Thrissur Pooram festivities.
The licensee of the unit had also suffered burn injuries and had died earlier.
