Writ petition filed in Supreme Court against setting up CM camp office in Vizag

Social worker Prasad seeks SC to quash G.O. allowing CM camp office in disputed area, citing pending legal matters.

Lingamaneni Sivarama Prasad, a Vijayawada-based social worker, filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court praying to quash G.O. Rt. No. 2015 (dated October 11, 2023) through which the government constituted a three-member committee for identifying suitable ‘transit accommodation’ in Visakhapatnam for Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and his team of senior officers. 

The petitioner said the impugned G.O. facilitates shifting of Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy reportedly to the AP Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC)‘s ‘luxurious tourist retreat’ which was built in alleged violation of the coastal regulation norms and is being converted into CM’s camp office even as the above matter is in different stages of adjudication by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), AP High Court (HC) and the Supreme Court. 

Mr. Prasad stated that the government announced the establishment of the CM camp office in the disputed area notwithstanding the fact that the site is situated within the sensitive Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) abutting the Bay of Bengal and that the legality of the extent of construction of the tourist retreat and other compliances thereof was pending before the HC. 

The core issues pertaining to limits of the CRZ, permissible activities and extent of amendment of the Floor Space Index of the said constructions were yet to be decided by the NGT. 

Basically, it is contended that permission was only obtained for construction of the tourist resort and the establishment of CM camp office there by clearing the hill violates the statutory permissions and the relevant HC directions. Therefore, the petitioner sought an order that restrains the State from inaugurating the CM camp office and its functioning.