Date:24/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/24/stories/2006122401340400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Kheny takes a dig at State Government

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: Public-private partnership in Karnataka is like "having a joint venture for a gold mine with the Government. The Government gets the gold, we (the private sector) get the shaft," according to Ashok Kheny, managing director, Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise.

He was speaking at a seminar on `Road transport and highways' organised by the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry here on Friday.

Mr. Kheny, whose company is promoting the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project, used the occasion to take a dig at Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda for what he termed their unceasing efforts to get the project cancelled.

"They got the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board to withdraw the consent for the project, but the State Environment Appellate Authority dismissed the case on our plea," he said.