Visakhapatnam: TDP demands clarity on demolition of APTDC resorts

Visakhapatnam: Senior TDP leaders and activists took to streets on Wednesday to seek clarity on the 'real intention' behind the demolition of Haritha Resorts of Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation at Rushikonda and a part of the hill. While some of the party leaders were detained by the police at the house, including Visakhapatnam East MLA V Ramakrishna Babu, Bheemli constituency in-charge K Rajababu and president of Telugu Nadu Student Federation Pranav Gopal, others arrived at the spot to carry out the protest.

Pointing out that the business at APTDC's resort was doing well, the TDP leaders wondered the 'real motive' behind demolishing the building in the garb of 'development'. They said they don't know whether the government's building the Chief Minister's camp office or guest houses or developing a star hotel as mentioned earlier.

They demanded the government to clarify on what exactly they intend to do at the location. "Based on what GO the resorts have been demolished? From the beginning, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is bent on demolition. In the garb of developing the executive capital, the government is increasing its land value," former minister Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy stressed.

TDP Visakhapatnam Parliamentary constituency president Palla Srinivasa Rao said the site was located in Coastal Regulation Zone region. However, he pointed out that the YSRCP leaders were going ahead with the demolition process by violating environmental norms. "Why did the government not keep the entire process in the public domain? The demolition work should be carried out after getting environmental clearance.

Whenever we try to express our views, the government either detains us at home or prevents us from taking out a peaceful protest," he said. Despite detaining some of the TDP leaders, many party leaders turned up at the site to raise objections to the demolition work carried out at the APTDC resorts. They squatted on the road and demanded clarification from the government. TDP former MLAs P Govinda Satyanarayana and G Rama Naidu, GVMC floor leader P Srinivasa Rao, State secretary VSN Murthy Yadav, corporators and activists took part in the protest.