Ranchi: State energy minister Rajendra Prasad Singh today refused to waive the pending electricity bill dues of Usha Martin worth Rs 48 crore. He said he could not waive the amount in any manner possible.
Addressing a press conference, the state minister said the company was trying to get the electricity dues waived completely. He said he was being pressurized to waive the dues.
�The then energy secretary Vimal Kirti Singh had forwarded the file for waiving the dues after giving his consent. The committee discussed the issue and found itself unable to waive such a big amount. I being the minister refused to waive the amount,� said the minister.
Singh alleged that a local Hindi daily was trying to put pressure on his and trying to defame him by making false allegations against him and his son when he refused to favour the company.
The minister said the daily should take specific names instead of making allegations in an oblique manner.
The local daily claimed that it functioned free without any pressure or vested interest. It also claimed that the news published by it were authentic and open to any probe.
