Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi said he had not yet received any report about findings of diamond deposits in Deobhog area of the state. " We have not yet received any report on the laboratory test of the soil that had been taken from the Deobhog area for confirmation of diamonds in that area", Mr Jogi said.The joint venture firm, B Vijay Kumar Chhattisgarh Exploration Company (BVEC), of which controversial film financier Bharat Shah is a partner, had been given permission to take soil from the Deobhog area under Raipur district, to take soil abroad for confirmation of diamond in that region.
The BVCE has so far exported 7,500 kg of soil from the area to Australia and South Africa for laboratory tests. " The Government had asked for the report and only after receiving that he could be in a position to say on deposits of diamond in that area", Mr Jogi added. Earlier, senior BJP legislature Mr Ganguram Baghel had claimed that the laboratory test of soil by BVEC had been positive, and the Government should immediately look into it. MrJogi also dismissed the allegation that the BVCE is going beyond the permission of digging upto 30 cm, for soil testing and said the deep boring is for their drinking water.
Earlier reports said the BVCE had drilled 12 deep bores close to each other, near the Mainpur block of Raipur district. MrJogi said his administration would be looking into allegations of a permanent construction of a laboratory by the BVCE in the Mainpur area, after clearing trees. A high level monitoring committee is looking into the diamond prospecting activities. The Government is seriously considering, to amend some clauses of the agreement, between the state government and the BVEC, the chief minister said.
(PTI)
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