Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy launched a broadside against his predecessor and Leader of Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu for questioning the government’s crackdown on the illegal structures that sprang up along the river and canal banks such as Praja Vedika and the Lingamaneni guest-house in which the former CM was staying even after being served eviction notices.
Tough stand
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy stated emphatically that he had asked the district Collectors to take a tough stand on such constructions in order to protect the rivers and water bodies from encroachments, the consequences of which would be devastating.
The Chief Minister pointed out that many buildings were constructed across the State in blatant disregard for the River Conservancy Act of 1884, orders of the Lokayukta for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to remove illegal structures obstructing the flood courses of rivers, and the Building Regularisation Scheme (BRS).
“Mr. Naidu had set a bad precedent by violating the rules. If the Chief Ministers themselves commit irregularities, who will care for the laws enacted by the elected representatives.
What he (Mr. Naidu) did was unacceptable. Unfortunately, he is trying to gain sympathy out of the issue by raising a hue and cry in the Assembly,” he observed. Replying to a question by Palakollu MLA Nimmala Rama Naidu in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday on the action being taken by the government against constructions on the river and canal banks, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said the river conservator (executive engineer of Krishna Central Division) denied permission for constructing the grievances hall (Praja Vedika) on the ground that it was within the Maximum Flood Level (MFL) and that the Lokayukta also took a serious view of the issue.
In fact, the Lokayukta directed the Collectors of Krishna and Guntur districts in February 2017 to remove illegal structures on the Krishna riverbank. However, Mr. Naidu approached the High Court, which upheld the State government’s decision to raze Praja Vedika.
Mr. Naidu said there were certain exemptions which the Chief Minister should take note of, and that he had no objection to move out of his temporary accommodation.
He contended that permission was given for many constructions on the Krishna riverbank (‘Karakatta road’ leading to the Secretariat) when Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy was the Chief Minister and Malladi Vishnu chairman of the erstwhile VGTM Urban Development Authority.
