Bengaluru
Former Karnataka Chief Minister and MP Basavaraj Bommai has accused the state’s Pollution Control Board of deliberately withholding permission for a sugar factory owned by BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal as part of a political strategy.
Speaking to the media after participating in a protest led by Yatnal against the board’s actions on Wednesday, Bommai claimed that legal and ethical standards have deteriorated in the state, with politics of animosity being employed.
Bommai stated that Yatnal’s factory was set up in compliance with the law, but permission was denied last year. Although a court ordered the factory to reopen within four weeks, the Pollution Control Board is still refusing to grant the necessary permission, citing technical issues. Bommai suggested that this refusal is a politically motivated attempt to undermine Yatnal.
He also criticized the board for permitting other factories that have violated regulations while discriminating against Yatnal’s operation. Bommai noted that many farmers rely on Yatnal’s factory, and with a significant amount of sugarcane produced this year, it is essential for the factory to commence operations. He accused the government of promoting industrial development in North Karnataka while engaging in politically driven actions against local enterprises.
