Participants of a seminar on development of Visakhapatnam, organised by the Uttarandhra Journalists’ Front here on Thursday, highlighted the need for election of local persons as people’s representatives if justice to the city and region were to be done.
Former UPSC member and former Vice-Chancellor of Dravidian University K.S. Chalam wanted political parties to understand that a proper development plan was necessary for Visakhapatnam and Uttarandhra as the State was on the anvil of bifurcation.
Development of Visakhapatnam would trigger development of East Asia, said Prof. Chalam, the key speaker at the seminar, which was attended by representatives of political parties.
The UFJ organised the programme to mark the birth anniversary of noted journalist C.Y. Chintamani, who hailed from North coastal Andhra.
BJP city president P.V. Narayana Rao said 90 per cent of the needs of Uttarandhra highlighted by the UJF were included in his party’s manifesto.
CPI(M) city secretary B. Ganga Rao said his party would not support development that would destroy natural resources and bring misery to the poor.
A retired Chief Engineer (Irrigation) Narayana Rao said Polavaram project was essential as water going waste into the sea should be utilised, he said.
Former corporator E. Gopala Rao, leader of a JAC for protecting the interests of the region J.T. Rama Rao, and CPI-ML leader Narasimham spoke.
UFJ president M.R.N. Varma, who presided, and secretary N. Nageswara Rao spoke about Chintamani’s contribution to journalism.
