CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta on Friday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to intervene in the matter of Petroleum Minister Veerappa Moily’s reported plan to remove the Director General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) RN Choubey.
Accusing Moily of being out to shift an honest official, Dasgupta said it was being planned due to the DGH’s bold moves against the “looting in KG Basin by Mukesh Ambani-headed Reliance Industries limited.” The CPI leader said the DGH’s move to retrieve around 7,000 sq km from KG Basin fields, operated by Reliance Industries limited (RIl) is the reason behind plans for his removal. The DGH’s action was based on the findings of CAG on illegal holding of vast areas by the RIl. Dasgupta demanded that this area in KG Basin should be handed over to ONGC, which would fetch Rs 60,000 crore to public exchequer.
“We are witnessing a sorry spectacle of the private contractor RIl trying to browbeat its own Regulator (DGH), who is an honest officer trying to uphold public interest and the Government has remained a silent spectator,” said the CPI leader, He alleged that Moily had already find a “pliable officer suggested by Mukesh Ambani” for the post of DGH.
“The plan currently underway to transfer RN Choubey prematurely is a sinister ploy of the Veerappa Moily, who is acting on the behest of Reliance in the matter. Since the DGH has taken an independent view in the matter of relinquishment and arbitration and has refused to tow the line of Moily and Reliance, he is being transferred prematurely. A pliable person, who is presently working as a Director in Oil India limited, who was not selected as OIl Chairman, is sought to be brought in as DGH. This action of the Petroleum Minister is clearly malafide and dubious and is a second attempt to change officials handling the RIl matters in the Ministry,” said Dasgupta, demanding that the DGH be allowed to complete his full term.
The CPI leader also asked PM to give direction to Moily to approve the recommendations of the DGH and Petroleum Secretary Vivek Rae to retrieve the 7,000 sq km area in KG Basin illegally occupied by RIl. “The RIl is mandated to give back this area. CAG had already found this illegal holding. This area should be handed over to ONGC for production and the Government can realise Rs 60,000 crore through the sale of gas from these discoveries,” said Dasgupta to media, releasing the crucial recommendations of the DGH.