Rushikonda tourism project: GVMC corporator knocks on the door of Environment Ministry again seeking action against APTDC’s ‘violations’

GVMC corporator Peethala Murthy Yadav of JSP lodged complaint with MoEFCC over APTDC's Rushikonda tourism project violations. He was first petitioner to approach HC against violations. HC directed MoEFCC to set up committee to study project. No action taken yet, so Yadav filed contempt of court case.

The controversial hilltop tourism project at Rushikonda in the city came under fire once again on July 22 (Saturday).

Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) corporator P.L.V.N. Murthy, popularly known as Peethala Murthy Yadav, of the Jana Sena Party (JSP) lodged a complaint again with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) over the on-going works being carried out there by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC).

In the complaint, Mr. Yadav said, “Construction work is being carried out at the project site in violation of court orders. The five-member committee constituted by the MoEFCC, on the orders of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, has also found several irregularities. However, the MoEFCC has so far not taken any action against the violations.”

Mr. Yadav said he was the first and main petitioner to approach the High Court against the violations committed by the State government in undertaking the tourism project at Rushikonda.

The corporator said he had filed his first petition in December 2021. Later, TDP Visakhapatnam East MLA Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu and YSR Congress Party Member of Parliament K. Raghu Ramakrishna Raju too had filed petitions on the project.

After hearing these petitions, the High Court had, on November 3, 2022, directed the MoEFCC to set up a joint committee to study the APTDC’s alleged violations and the status of the project at the ground level.

Accordingly, the MoEFCC had constituted a five-member committee, comprising members from from public sector bodies — National Institute of Oceanography, National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, Central Public Works Department and Central Pollution Control Board. On February 10, 2023, the committee was directed to study the project.