Our Correspondent
Kohima | July 10
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today said the state government is contemplating filing a defamation case against the Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Legislative Assembly in regard to alleged coal scam.
The Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Assembly had written to the Prime Minister claiming that there is not a single factory in Nagaland requiring coal whereas the Chief Minister pointed out that there are over 50 functioning brick layers functioning in the state requiring a minimum of 2.52 lakh metric tones of coal.
Rio accused the Punjab deputy speaker of undermining the Nagas and said he would also be writing a personal letter to him. Besides, he said, the government has also set up an inquiry committee.
Earlier, discussing on the issue, MLA I. Imkong asked the government to be strict in streamlining the issue of coal to genuine users. A copy of the letter written to the Prime Minister was also sent to the CBI Director. The letter also implicates several industrialists besides a top state government official.
