VIJAYAWADA: Lack of coordination between the chairman and the higher officials of VGTM-UDA has become an obstacle in the execution of several developmental projects taken up in Guntur and Krishna districts.
Though acquisition of lands is said to be the cause of the inordinate delay in the execution of several projects that include Vijaya Siri, Bodhi Siri and the development of international Buddhist centre at Amaravathi, the alleged ‘cold war’ between the chairman and the officials is said to be another reason.
Vanukuri Srinivasa Reddy of the Congress party from Guntur district, who was appointed as the chairman July last year, has lost control over the officials soon after change of guard in the truncated state of Andhra Pradesh. “While the chairman wants to take stringent action on those who have created illegal layouts, the vice-chairperson and other officials are averse to the proposal saying that the Revenue Department has to take the initiative,” sources said.
APCC secretary Kolankonda Sivaji said that the lack of coordination between the chairman and the officials of UDA has become a major hurdle in the execution of projects and alleged that UDA lacks transparency in its functioning.
He recalled the Comptroller and Auditor-General (CAG) saying in his report, “The Authority (UDA), which was established for planned development of the VGTM area and to improve the quality of life in its habitations, could not achieve its objectives to a very large extent.” He also said that there was no proper mechanism to monitor the works executed by the UDA and demanded that the government should take steps to properly oversee its activities.
Expressing similar views, CPM city secretary Ch Babu Rao alleged that UDA had become a ‘centre of corruption’ and added that it had taken up several ambitious projects like Oryza County and Amaravati Townships but failed to execute them.