CPI(M) leaders and party men protesting against the development of the district library site on BOT basis were arrested during the visit of Chief Minister K. Rosaiah.
Deploring the development of the library site on BOT basis, CPI(M) district secretary Ch. Narsinga Rao condemned their arrest and demanded the unconditional release of the party city secretary K. Lokanadham, district secretariat member B. Ganga Rao and leaders R.K.S.V. Kumar, M. Subba Rao and 45 others arrested while protesting.
Mr. Narsinga Rao said the library constructed at Maharanipet in 1964 was being handed over to Pratyusha Associates Shipping Company Private Limited under the supervision of Infrastructure Corporation of Andhra Pradesh. He described as “undemocratic” giving the multi-storeyed building on lease for 33 years.
He also felt that the library close to the Collectorate and the KGH should have been developed by the government to benefit people and the library governing body should have opposed the move to hand over the site to private agencies. Taxes to the tune of crores of rupees were due to the library and the governing body had miserably failed in getting them for the development of the library, he said. He demanded that the lease be cancelled and a full-fledged library be developed there. He said that municipal sites were earmarked for development under PPP mode and RTC sites at Asilmetta and Maddilapalem had also been given for development.
