VIJAYAWADA: Stating that the reply given by the owner of former CM Chandrababu Naidu’s residence, Lingamaneni Ramesh, was not satisfactory, the APCRDA served ‘confirmation order’ directing the party concerned to remove the G+1 structure within seven days.
The notice, which was served on the owner of the residence in Undavalli late on Thursday, said that “the CRDA shall proceed with the demolition, if the owner does not comply with the order”.
The order copy has also been sent to the occupant -- Naidu -- “for information and necessary action to vacate the premises”.
The CRDA on June 27 had served preliminary show-cause notice on Ramesh, stating that the building in question was built sans requisite permissions and that section 115(1) of APCRDA Act mandates demolition of illegal structures within seven days.
It had given seven days time to the owner to respond. In his reply on July 4, Ramesh sought a personal meeting with the APCRDA commissioner.
The owner, through his General Power of Attorney and advocates — MDN Nageswara Gupta and Gogusetti Venkateswara Rao — represented the case at the personal hearing and sought 10 more days for filing documents and other requisite information.
“However, even after 10 days (which ended on July 25) no related documents were submitted. An order dated September 19 was issued duly addressing the issues raised by your letter dated July 15.
Further, the reply to the show-cause notice is not to the satisfaction of this authority, thus, this office has authority to enforce the rules corresponding to the unauthorized developments notified vide GO MS 678 (Municipal Administration and Urban Development) dated September 7, 2009, and as per fifth schedule of APCRDA Act, 2014, read with section 152.
Therefore, confirmation orders have been issued to remove the said development in the premises within seven days from the date of issue of this order,” the order read. The order was also pasted on the walls of former CM Naidu’s residence.
It further noted that, “if the said unauthorized development is not removed by you within seven days of receipt of the order, APCRDA shall proceed to remove the same.”
In the personal meeting held on July 15, Ramesh, through his GPA, argued that the structure was built much before APCRDA had come into existence. He claimed that the swimming pool was built after getting a no objection certificate from the irrigation department and that other structures were built after Undavalli grama panchayat had accorded permission through a resolution.
The Commissioner of APCRDA, P Lakshminarasimham, also gave a detailed reply to the nine points raised by Ramesh.
He referred to all the aspects pointed out by the owner, replying that none of them were backed by evidence. He also noted that the concerned did not get any permission from an authority lawfully empowered to grant permission.
For the record, the TDP had alleged that the YSRC government was resorting to witch-hunt, even as the state officials maintained that the residence was well below the maximum flood level, making it prone to submergence. Naidu who occupied the building in 2016 continues to live there even as the ruling party is demanding that he vacate it.
On Saturday, YSRC Penamaluru MLA and government whip Kolusu Parthasarathy once again demanded that Naidu move out of the house.
“The irrigation minister in the TDP government himself said that it was an illegal structure. The present government too pointed out the same and served notices. When the government categorically said it is an illegal structure, why are you not vacating the house?
Instead of playing dirty politics, if you have respect for government rules, vacate the house,” he demanded.