GUNTUR: After successfully conducting beach festivals in Kakinada, Visakhapatnam and Machilpatnam, the State government is planning to organise the Kotappakonda hill festival on January 19, 20 and 21 in a grand manner.
Assembly speaker K Siva Prasad Rao, announcing the decision after a review meeting with Collector K Sasidhar here on Tuesday, said the mega event would be inaugurated by Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu.
Keeping this in view, the officials were directed to finish development works of the tourism complex and Yampi Theatre before the festival. An organising committee–with the collector, ministers Bhuma Akhila Priya, P Pulla Rao and N Anand Babu, and officials of the forest department as its members–has been constituted, he said.
On the occasion, Kodela proposed to campaign for temples, eco-tourism, and protection of forests and historical monuments. “Development in Kotappakonda, with the primary focus on improving greenery in its surrounding areas, has been going on for the last 18 years.
Its annual income has also increased `12 crore from a meagre `8 lakh due to heavy footfalls of tourists and pilgrims,” he said, pointing out that Kotappakonda might be turned into a municipality soon. Cultural programmes and a food festival are also being planned.