A Congress team led by senior Rajya Sabha member V. Hanumantha Rao on Wednesday served an ultimatum on Gangavaram Port Limited (GPL) that they would take severe action if attempts were made to sell the port.
“We do not know who will buy it? We will not allow, come what may, the management to sell it after getting the land on lease on a golden platter during Telugu Desam regime. If there is any sell-out bid, it should be sold to Visakhapatnam Port – a government establishment,” Mr. Rao said.
He said they would submit a report on the outcome of their visit to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy.
Later, during a chat with the team members, GPL Director (corporate affairs) Surya Prakash made an emphatic denial on any bid to sell the port and described it as a media creation.
The team comprised Government Chief Whip Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Government Whip K. Murali, Rajya Sabha member T. Ratna Bai, Gajuwaka MLA Ch. Venkataramaiah, Rampachodavaram MLA Satyanarayana Reddy, AICC secretary P. Sudhakar Reddy and MLC D.V. Suryanarayana Raju.
The team expressed anguish at payment of low wages to the project affected people, who were provided permanent jobs.
“”It is unfortunate that the company is paying very meagre amount to the displaced families. We told the management to consider a hike within two weeks failing which we will be forced to stage a dharna in front of the main gate of the port,” Mr. Rao told reporters after his visit. On the delay in construction of fish landing jetty, Mr. Suryaprakash said they volunteered to construct it at Yarada though the responsibility was that of the government.
“The Visakhapatnam Port objected to the construction and later the Centre also said no to fishing landing centre close to the main port and naval establishment on security grounds after Mumbai terror attacks. Now, an alternative site is being identified,” Mr. Suryaprakash said.
Later, the team visited Ramky Pharma City and Brandix India Apparel City.
The team alleged that Ramky was doing real estate business by selling developed plots at exorbitant rate notwithstanding the fact that APIIC acquired the land for less than Rs.1 lakh an acre.
The team said Brandix was given 1,000 acres on lease at Re. 1 a year on the promise that it would generate jobs for 60,000. It had provided jobs to only 5,000 and warned the company that the lease would be cancelled if the promised jobs were not created.
Row over ‘denial of entry'
Meanwhile, the Gajuwaka MLA and the local media staged protest separately over denial of entry into Gangavaram Port. They became furious when permission was denied to them to follow the Congress team. Later on the intervention of Mr. Hanumantha Rao, the port official apologised.
