Agitation for Ramayapatnam port intensifies

Ongole: The Opposition parties and public organisations intensified the agitation for the Ramayapatnam port and development package for the district along with the completion of all pending projects in the district.The CPI and CPM organised a mass protest while the Prakasam Zilla Abhivriddhi Vedika conducted a relay hunger strike camp in front of the Prakasam district Collectorate in Ongole on Wednesday.

The YSR Congress Party leaders extended support to these two agitations and also participated in them. The Communist leaders including CPI district secretary ML Narayana and CPM district secretary Punati Anjaneyulu demanded Rs 10,000 crore special package for the provision of infrastructure and opportunities in the district. They demanded that the government allocate funds for the completion of Chinapolireddy Korisapadu Lift Irrigation Scheme, Sangameswara Paleru Reservoir, Bhavanasi Reservoir, Gundlakamma Reservoir, Rallapadu Reservoir along with the Veligonda project immediately. 

They also wanted the government to fulfill its promises of constructing Ramayapatnam Port, smart city, aqua culture processing unit, food park, airport at Ongole, University of mines, minerals and sciences, Donakonda Industrial Corridor, NIMZ at Kanigiri immediately.

The Prakasam Zilla Abhivruddhi Vedika leaders Chunduru Rangarao, Chunchu Seshaiah, K Kanakarao and others demanded that the government recommend Ramayapatnam port in the place of non-viable Dugarajapatnam port. YSRCP leader and Ongole MP YV Subbareddy, participating in both the meetings, said that the public of Andhra Pradesh were losing with the negligence of state and Union governments. 

He said that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January asked for the coastal employment zones instead of Dugarajapatnam, but never mentioned the Ramayapatnam port. He promised to mention the need of Ramayapatnam port in the next Parliament session and advised the state government to take initiation to announce the district as backward district and provide enough opportunities to the locals on par with other districts.