A groundbreaking ceremony of the Gaming Animation Media and Entertainment (GAME) park, which was inaugurated by Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and Information Technology Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah, was marred by protests by a group of industrialists at Raidurg here on Wednesday.
The industry representatives were protesting the manner in which the government had gone ahead with setting up the park on a part of the land sold to them in 2007.
In fact, even the land sold to them was mired in legal tangle, as it was part of listed heritage precincts. An inquiry was on too.
Heritage precincts
Meanwhile, a group of TRS MLAs led by T. Harish Rao too protested near the venue. Police arrested the legislators and shifted them to Narsingi police station. The MLAs alleged that the land with survey number 83/1, where the GAME park was coming up, came under the category of heritage precincts.
“There are several irregularities surrounding the land. A report by an enquiry committee under the Chief Secretary is pending, and yet the government is going ahead with the function,” Mr. Harish Rao said.
Govt. redfacedA bigger embarrassment for the government came when J. Rameshwar Rao, chairman of My Home Industries Limited, who was among the audience, stood up and shouted that the government had taken Rs. 2,000 crore from the industry and sold the disputed land.
“We paid huge sums. I paid Rs. 600 crore but was cheated. You did not even have courtesy to respond to us. The government has collected over Rs 2,000 crore from different industries and we have been suffering for years,” Dr. Rameshwar Rao said.
The IT Minister was livid over allegations, but later said the government would look into the matter and come up with a solution. Even as he was responding, Dr. Rameshwar Rao, was trying to explain the issue to the Chief Minister, was twice dragged aside by police and security officials.
CM intervenesLater, the Chief Minister intervened and said the issue would be sorted out amicably.
“Rameswar Rao is a big industrialist and a very good businessman. I know him very well. We want you to be here in the State.
“I’ll solve the problem. Please come to my office and meet me,” he said, pacifying the industrialist.
Referring to the park, Mr. Kiran Reddy said: “Over 100 firms in animation and gaming industry will get an opportunity to set up shop in the park, which will create employment for more than 15,000 professionals in the domain.”
The Rs. 350-crore park is being set up on an area of 6 lakh sq.ft. and it will be expanded further, he added. He claimed the park was expected to contribute revenues of $500 million.
