VISAKHAPATNAM: Former Union energy secretary EAS Sarma has said senior revenue officials in Visakhapatnam are issuing misleading statements that the total area of the Thotlakonda archaeological site is only 120 acres and the rest belong to the government.
It shows that they have no clarity on the provisions of the AP Ancient and Historical Monuments, Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1960, the statutory implications of GO No. 627 dated 2-5-1978 issued under that Act, he said.
In a letter to Chief Secretary Nilam Sahwney, he said the ancient Totlakonda site situated in S.No.314 at Mangamaripeta (village) hamlet of Kapuluppada in Bheemunipatnam taluk of Visakhapatnam district bounded by survey numbers 295 and 296 on east and hills on west, north and south.
The S.No 314 (old) of Kapulauppada comprises 3,300 acres, he said.
“Over the years, the revenue authorities have irregularly sub-divided Old S.No 314 into new S.Nos to circumvent the restrictions implicit in GO No. 627 dated 2-5-1978 and surreptitiously allotted lands to both public and private agencies, against which I have raised objections from time to time,” he said.
He said the land allotted in favour of Greyhounds in the past infringed upon the statutory notification issued under GO No. 627.
In the latest order (GO 1353 dated: 27-8-2020), the government allotted 30 acres for the proposed State Guest House in S.No. 386/2.
He said S.No 386/2 is a part of Old S.No 314. By allowing such construction activity in the area notified under the Act, the state government is not only be violating the Act but also potentially effacing invaluable archaeological evidence, he opined.