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Vizag’s Beauty Spot May Disappear Soon
Posted by Pradeep Sadanapalli | August 24, 2008 | 551 views
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Loading ...The pristine beauty of the Yarada Hills overlooking the Bay of Bengal has inspired great poets including Rachakonda Viswanadha Sastry, Arudra and Sri Sri. Film directors have also chosen this locale to picture duets since the hills form a perfect backdrop for young lovers to sing and dance. But if authorities have their way, all this will soon disappear. The stage is set for handing over 1,397 acres of land on the Yarada Hills for a “multi-purpose zone” and an elite housing project.
Authorities have quietly changed the land use clause in the master plan prepared by the Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority for this. Environmentalists and opposition parties allege that this is part of the government’s design to sell prime land in the city. During last two years, Vuda has auctioned plots in Madhuravada, Rushikonda, Kapulauppada, Thimmapuram and Bhimili to make money.
Authorities then eyed the pristine Yarada Hills. To begin with, the district collector handed over 473 acres of government land in Yarada Village of Gajuwaka to Vuda. The purported aim was to develop botanical gardens and tourism related structures after clearance from the government. However, NGOs and social activists smelt a rat and threatened to take legal action. Soon it became clear that the government had other things in mind. “All this is being done to feed the craving for funds,” said the TD leader and former minister, Mr Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy. NGOs and opposition parties have alleged that the state government had virtually turned Vuda into a real estate firm.
Vuda was asked to make Rs 1,000 crore in 2007-2008 and the target for 2008-2009 is Rs 1,400 crore. Land worth 3,600 acres of was handed over to Vuda during the last three years and a GO was also issued to facilitate sales. “Vuda’s master plan clearly earmarks Yarada Hills as forest zone and to sell it off is clear violation of the law,” said Mr Murthy.
SOURCES:
Deccan Chronicle
Topics: Environment, Public Concerns, Property Matters, Govt Failures |
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