CM denies she could be held responsible for mess-up

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today asserted that the views of the Centre and the state government on the Heritage Corridor are the same and that an inquiry would reveal the names of those responsible for giving the go-ahead. ‘‘There is no time limit for the commission to come out with its findings but it will be soon,’’ she said.

The commission would be headed by an officer of the principal secretary rank and ‘‘whoever is found responsible will not just be suspended, his services will be terminated,’’ she said. ‘‘I will not allow my secretariat and bureaucrats to run amok,’’ she threatened. The Centre had reacted sharply to the construction of shopping malls and other structures within the Taj Heritage Zone and had described the act of the state government as against the norms. When asked how the funds to the tune of Rs 30 crore were released for the construction without proper permission from the pollution control board and other authorities, Mayawati said it was an issue the inquiry will probe. She categorically denied the construction was started at her behest and that she was ‘‘in the know’’. ‘‘I did not know about it and how it happened would be revealed in the inquiry,’’ she said.

She also refused to accept she could be held responsible as Rs 18 crore had been spent by her government, especially as the Finance portfolio is under her. ‘‘All this will be sorted out by the committee,’’ she said. On the other hand, Union Tourism Minister Jagmohan held the state government responsible for flouting various rules, including the Supreme Court guidelines.