Write Back: Clarifications,rejoinders,suggestions

District Collector of Dantewada O P Choudhary was quoted as saying Essar is supposed to spend CSR funds on development of the area,instead it is diverting it to Naxals. However,in response to our query,Choudhary wrote back saying that around one or two months back,during a general talk with The Indian Express representatives,he had only said: Essar officials have met me in my office with a proposal of making Jai Johar Sewa Sansthan as nodal agency to implement CSR activities in the area. Essar officials were willing to make Jai Johar Sansthan a nodal agency and to transfer all the CSR fund to this proposed agencys account and they were also willing to provide rights for signing the cheques to Jai Johar Sansthan on behalf of Essar. I have strictly opposed this proposal.

It is evident from the response received from the collector that he had not said that Essar is supposed to spend CSR funds on development of the area,instead it is diverting it to Naxals. It is further evident that the said collector had not objected to Essar engaging JJSS for carrying out CSR activities. The objection of the collector was only to an Essar proposal to utilise the funds given to the district administration through JJSS as nodal agency. Essar carries out certain CSR activities8230; and,as far as possible,engages local NGOs for the same. The JJSS is a registered society authorised to undertake CSR activities8230; Essar has not either directly or indirectly released any money to any person at any point of time for diverting it to Naxals8230; Moneys released by Essar are duly accounted by the recipients. The JJSS has furnished to Essar certificates issued by its chartered accountants confirming the end use of the funds.

Reporter Ashutosh Bhardwaj replies:

The report was based on interviews with police officials involved in the investigation. Essar GM DVCS Verma has been behind bars since September-end,accused of providing support to Naxals. Many other top officials,including Essar Steel India CEO Dilip Ommen,have been summoned for questioning. Dantewada SP Ankit Garg has commented on alleged Naxal links of Essar. Police have also said that Essar Deputy Manager C Srinivasan based in Orissa is absconding. Pawan Dubey of Jai Johar has been called a middleman between Essar and the Naxals by the Dantewada police.

The Indian Express has accessed messages exchanged between Jai Johar and Essar and between Essar officials themselves on the issue of giving CSR money to Dubeys NGO. The collectors quotes to Essar do not contradict The Indian Express report. He makes it clear that he strictly opposed CSR funds being routed through Jai Johar as nodal agency. In fact,an FIR against Jai Johar accuses it of having links with Naxalites.