Carving of new districts ignites political fire in Srikakulam

Srikakulam: The people in the district are raising their voice against the formation of new districts based on Lok Sabha segment wise.

If the government strictly adopting Lok Sabha segment in principle, the existing Srikakulam district will be reorganised into three districts.

Currently, the Srikakulam district has 10 Assembly constituencies. Itchapuram, Palasa, Tekkali,

Narasannapeta, Srikakulam, Pathapatnam and Amudalavalasa Assembly constituencies are part of Srikakulam Lok Sabha segment.

With all these seven Assembly constituencies, Srikakulam Lok Sabha segment will be emerged as new district. Remaining three Assembly constituencies, Etcherla, Rajam will be made part of Vizianagaram Lok Sabha segment and Palakonda will be made part of proposed Araku Parliament segment.

"The division and formation of districts based on Lok Sabha segment wise is unscientific and against people will regarding Srikakulam district as most of the industrial units, educational institutions are located in Etcherla and Rajam Assembly constituencies," stated YSRCP Srikakulam MLA Dharmana Prasada Rao to The Hans India.

If the two assembly segments merged into Vizianagaram district, the Srikakulam district will lose its income sources, the MLA added. If Palakonda Assembly constituency is merged into Araku district, residents of Kotturu and Bhamini mandals will face difficult situation to reach district headquarters Araku, he further explained.

"Etcherla and Rajam Assembly constituencies are developing as industrial and educational hubs. If these two constituencies are merged into Vizianagaram district, Srikakulam district will lose its heart of the source of income and employment opportunities," pointed out TDP human resources development wing director and senior leader Kalisetti Appala Naidu to this newspaper.

Merging of Palakonda Assembly segment into proposed Araku district is also not rationale as it will be difficult for residents of Bhamini and Kotturu mandals to visit their headquarters, which is very far off for their works, Kalisetti added.

"The formation of new districts based on Lok Sabha segment wise is only for administrative convenience seems not correct in practical and regarding Srikakulam district as it would lose its heart if the Etcherla and Rajam Assembly constituencies were merged into Vizianagaram Lok Sabha segment," senior advocate Aguru Uma Maheswara Rao stated to this newspaper.

It will also be difficult to residents of Kotturu and Bhamini mandals in Palakonda segment if it was merged into proposed Araku district," he added.