Congress leaders take out rally for Dugarajapatnam port

Nellore: Local people and Congress leaders took out a rally from Kota to Vakadu on Thursday demanding immediate consideration of Dugarajapatnam Port. Raising slogans against the State and the Central governments, hundreds of people participated in the rally from Kota mandal headquarters to Vakadu.

On the occasion, former MP Chinta Mohan said the Congress government had cleared the port in 2013 with Rs 8,000 crore for construction of eight berths initially, aiming to develop it as a fifth major port in the country. It was also included as second topic in the AP Reorganisation Act, giving priority next to Polavaram project.

But, he said, the State and the Central governments ignored the issue. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu wrote two letters to the Centre expressing his inability to provide lands for the port. The former MP questioned rationality of ignoring an important project in the State and criticised Venkaiah Naidu for his alleged role in this issue.

He alleged that YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president YS Jaganmohan Reddy also joined the anti-port group as he had links with a private port in Nellore district. “Polavaram project was given a loan of Rs 40,000 crore from NABARD, but Dugarajapatnam was ignored,” he said. The port would create employment opportunities and provide livelihood for lakhs of local people, he said.He released a pamphlet to educate the people on the need and significance of the port for development of the region.