NICE MD says no need for a public debate

NICE MD says no need for a public debate
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: Managing Director of the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE) Ashok Khemy said that he preferred not to participate in any public debate on the issue.

Talking to the this website’s newspaper over telephone, Kheny said, ‘‘I am neither a politician nor do I belong to any political party to take part in such a public debate.’’ Responding to Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s invitation to him participate in a public debate over the issue, Khemy stated that his company was ready for a discussion on the issue and not a public debate, especially after the Supreme Court verdict on the project.

Maintaining that ‘‘no one is above the law,’’ Khemy, however, said that there was nothing to debate now, as the project had already been cleared. “ ‘‘We just want the Karnataka Government to adhere to the apex court verdict,’’ he added.

Meanwhile, Khemy disclosed that he had written a 150-page letter to the Chief Minister on Monday. ‘‘We will await the CM’s response and then decide on the next course of action to see that the project is completed,’’ he declared. Khemy reiterated that that the first phase of nine km of road would be declared open as scheduled on June 16.