BRS knocks at Governor’s door; demands probe into Singareni ops
KT Rama Rao leads opposition team to Lok Bhavan alleging `10 crore fund diversion and massive cost escalations in solar and mining projects
Hyderabad: A delegation of BRS leaders met Governor Jishnu Dev Varma on Tuesday and appealed for the initiation or recommendation of an independent probe—either by the CBI or by a sitting judge—into alleged irregularities in Singareni operations. The leaders, led by Working President KT Rama Rao, submitted a detailed representation at Lok Bhavan highlighting what the party termed as serious instances of corruption and financial irregularities under the Congress government, particularly within the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL).
The BRS team presented documentary evidence related to the alleged misuse of public funds, irregular tendering processes, and inflated project costs in mining and solar power ventures undertaken by the company. KT Rama Rao stated that they had brought to the notice of the Governor the alleged large-scale plunder in Singareni and the failure of the government to provide credible explanations despite repeated disclosures.
He claimed that instead of responding to the substance of the allegations, the ruling party was attempting to divert public attention by summoning individuals under the guise of inquiries. He alleged that the silence of the Chief Minister on the matter had led to widespread public anger in coal-mining regions, where workers feel the leadership is shielding a coal mafia.
KT Rama Rao further accused the government of misusing nearly Rs 10 crore of Singareni funds for purposes unrelated to the core functioning of the company, asserting that this amounted to grave injustice to the institution and its employees. He raised several questions regarding a newly introduced “Site Visit Certification” clause in tender processes. He demanded that the government release a comprehensive White Paper detailing the number of companies that conducted site visits over the last nine months, communications received by Singareni, and the criteria used for selecting contractors.
He also questioned whether certain beneficiaries had links to relatives of the Chief Minister. Regarding solar power, he alleged that while the national average cost stands at Rs 2.5 to 3 crore per megawatt, Singareni projects were tendered at nearly Rs 7 crore.
The delegation informed the Governor that Singareni is jointly owned by the Telangana government and the Government of India, stressing that every rupee involved is public money. They sought an urgent inquiry into OB mining projects and solar ventures to halt the systematic siphoning of funds.
