VISAKHAPATNAM: Uttarandhra Hakkula Sadhana Samithi, in a memorandum submitted to VMRDA commissioner, stated there were several loopholes in its prospective plan with regard to hills and green cover.
Samithi convener P Meghanadh said, the VMRDA has rightly identified the need for a prospective plan for a growing city like Visakhapatnam and commissioned an expert group to prepare the plan. He added, “However, most of the plan formulations just mention what is statutorily required without substance.
The vision appears to be a commercial real estate pitch to market the land assets of the city rather than to develop the region using its natural resources. In fact, the plan appears to mortgage or may be to sell out and deplete the natural beauty of the city for the sake of filling government’s coffers.”
He stated that Dutch, English, French and zamindars had built heritage sites without destroying an iota of the beauty of the city which the locals adore and cherish. Meghnadh added, “It appears as though the experts do not understand this local sentiment while drawing up the plan as seen in their identification of the areas such as Seetha Konda, Yarada Hills, Kambalakonda, AP Tourism Hill and IT hill in the sensitive parts of the forest area.”
Stating that the hills are a natural wealth for future generations, he questioned how the state government can identify the reserve forest land and even forest land for allotment to private real estate developers. Demanding the withdrawal of the proposals, he urged VMRDA to implement EIA (environment impact assessment) and CRZ (coastal regulation zone) regulations so as to avoid further legal complications on the issue.
CPM floor leader ends hunger strike
CPM floor leader in GVMC, B Ganga Rao on Thrusday ended his 24-hour hunger strike against the revision of property tax. He informed that they will not allow the conduct of a special GVMC Council meeting to endorse the property tax hike. TDP, Jana Sena, CPI and CPM were opposing the tax revision as well, he said