Nellore leaders demand port in Prakasam district!

Nellore: Not only YSR Congress leaders from Prakasam and northern part of Nellore district, but also TDP leaders in Nellore are now demanding construction of Ramayapatnam port in Prakasam district as the proposed port at Dugarajapatnam in Nellore district hanging fire and is being treated as almost shelved.

The Union and state governments have not been saying anything on the Dugarajapatnam, which is said to be being opposed by the Navy for security reasons. At least that is what cited by the Centre for not being to able to fulfil that promise to the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh. So, now the TDP and others began a movement demanding the port in Prakasam district.

The movement initially started in Kavali constituency which is close to the proposed Ramayapatnam port and now district-level TDP leaders. The leaders like MLC B Ravichandra, his brother and senior leader Beeda Mastan Rao, Vanteru Venugopala Reddy, Vijaya Dairy chairman K Ranga Reddy, leaders from Prakasam like Karanam Balaram, Dr Divi Sivaram, Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, Kanigiri MLA Babu Rao met here on Sunday to chalk out a future course of action to mount pressure on the state and the Central governments the construction of the port.

This situation throws up an interesting scenario wherein district-level BJP, YSR Congress and Congress leaders are still demanding immediate construction of Dugarajapatnam while YSRC leaders and activists in northern part of district along with district TDP are supporting speedy construction of Ramayapatnam port in neighbouring Prakasam district.

Recently, a committee was also formed consisting of Kavali legislator and YSR Congress leader R Prathap Kumar Reddy along with local leaders to achieve Ramayapatnam port for development of the backward region of Prakasam district. In fact, Dugarajapatnam port was approved by the UPA government in 2013 and has been put on backburner.

It was estimated that the port needs Rs8,000 crore for the first stage works and around 5,000 acre land. Officials have already acquired around 4,150 acre. The initial plan was to develop the port with a capacity of 7.8 million tonnes by 2020 and expand the capacity to 10.7 million tonnes by 2025 and 20 million tonnes by 2035.

After Visakhapatnam Port Trust, Dugarajapatnam port, if constructed, would have been the second major port owned by the Union government in the state. YSRC leaders in Kavali region are pitching for Ramayapatnam as it is expected to create employment avenues to the local youth besides developing the area.

While YSCRP cadres and leaders stage protests in Nellore demanding port at Dugarajapatnam, party president YS Jaganmohan Reddy made a statement supporting the port at Ramayapatnam in Prakasam district during his recent tour in the district.

Similarly, agriculture minister Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy says that they would consider constructing second port in the state either at Dugarajapatnam in Nellore or at Ramayapatnam in Prakasam district with permission from the Central government. The case is similar too
Local leaders and people are confused over these equivocal statements by leaders of all political parties.

“We are getting confused which project is being supported by which party or which leader in Nellore. Why they are showing interest on Ramayapatnam? This double talk adversely affect the image of such parties or leaders,” said K Ramana Rao of RTC Colony.

By P V Prasad