Malavalli: Even as the verbal duel between Mandya District in-Charge Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy and Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries H.D. Kumaraswamy (HDK), who represents Mandya Constituency in the Lok Sabha, over establishment of Industries in Mandya continues, N. Cheluvarayaswamy has asked H.D. Kumaraswamy to apply to KIADB (Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board) for allotment of land, mentioning the area required.

Speaking to press persons at Travellers Bungalow in Malavalli after taking part in Suttur Shivarathri Shivayogi’s 1066th Jayanti celebrations here yesterday, Mandya District Minister Cheluvarayaswamy said, Union Minister Kumaraswamy should apply to the concerned authority (KIADB) or Mandya DC on the area of land required, specifying the type of Industries that are going to be established in the district. Subsequently, the DC will review the application and submit a proposal to the Government, following which the Govt. will take measures for allotment of land.

Wondering whether Kumaraswamy, who is also a former Chief Minister, does not have basic knowledge on the process of allotment of lands, Cheluvarayaswamy alleged that Kumaraswamy’s statements were merely aimed at creating confusion in the minds of the people.

Questioning the contributions of HDK as a Union Minister to the State over the past 18 months, he accused the Union Minister of unnecessarily blaming him and the State Congress Government, when the fault indeed lies in him (Kumaraswamy).

Asserting that the State Government was not opposed to development of any kind, he questioned HDK’s efforts for the revival of Bhadravathi Iron & Steel Works and Mysore Paper Mill.

Referring to crackdown on black marketing of fertilizers, Cheluvarayaswamy said, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence officials have seized 139 Metric Tons of fertilizers worth Rs. 88.67 lakh which was illegally stored in a godown near Nelamangala, allegedly meant for transportation to Tamil Nadu to be sold in black market there.

Pointing out that 22 such cases have been discovered in the past 3 years, he said that 638 Metric Tons of Fertilizers, totally worth over Rs. 40 lakh in 7 such cases, have been seized. The officials have kept a constant vigil to track illegal storage and black marketing of fertilizers, he added.