The long-pending issue of ‘panchagramalu lands’ (Simhachalam temple lands), rampant pollution, a couple of closed industries, railway level-crossing gates and traffic congestions are some of the issues, which pose a challenge to the candidates contesting from Visakhapatnam West Assembly constituency, which was formed after the delimitation exercise in 2008.
Visakhapatnam West MLA P.G.V.R. Naidu
The total electorate of 2,09,424 (as on March 16, 2024), includes: 1,06,161 women, 1,03,253 men and 10 transgenders. The constituency is dominated by the ‘Gavara’ community to which both the YSRCP and the TDP candidates belong.
YSRCP candidate Adari Anand Kumar (left) with Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy
The panchagramalu issue has not been resolved by the successive governments. The problem was reportedly created by the then TDP government, which unilaterally had given ryotwari pattas to the Simhachalam Devasthanam during 1996 and 1997.
CPI nominee Attili Vimala
The promise made by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, during his padayatra before the 2019 election, on coming up with a solution to the long-pending issue remains unfulfilled.
“The RDO court in Visakhapatnam as also the three-member committee of officials, appointed by the government, on the directions of the High Court in 2014, had declared the pattas given by the government as invalid. But, the TDP government instead of abiding by those directions, had banned any financial transactions or constructions on these lands and buildings,” says A. Aja Sarma, general secretary of the Forum for Development of North Andhra (FDNA).
The house and land owners are unable to raise funds to meet their emergency needs. They are not even allowed to undertake repair of their old buildings. The ryotwari pattas issued to the Simhachalam Devasthanam during 1996 and 1997 should be cancelled and land and building owners should be allowed to take up construction and repair of the buildings in accordance with the status quo orders issued by the High Court, he says.
The styrene monomer vapour leak from the LG Polymers plant at RR Venkatapuram, on May 7, 2020, which resulted in the death of at least 12 persons, will continue to haunt the people of this constituency, particularly those living in and around Gopalapatnam area, for the rest of their lives. The compensation of ₹1 crore, announced by the State government, to those who died in the accident, was appreciated by everyone, including the Opposition leaders. The public sector Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL), which was shut down long ago, was taken over by a corporate group, which failed to reopen the plant.
Pethakamsetty Gana Venkata Reddy Naidu (P.G.V.R. Naidu), popularly known as Gana Babu, who won the Visakhapatnam West Assembly seat in the last two elections, is eyeing a hat- trick in the general elections, to be held on May 13.
YSRCP has fielded Adari Anand Kumar, Chairman of Visakha Dairy, to take on Mr. Gana Babu. He is the son of Adari Tulasi Rao, founder of Visakha Dairy, under whose leadership the dairy had grown from strength to strength. A keen contest is likely between the TDP and YSRCP candidates this time.
Mr. Anand Kumar’s name was announced by the YSRCP leadership as the party nominee for the constituency long before other parties had finalised the names of their party nominees. This gave him an advantage over his rivals to campaign vigorously and reach out to the voters.
He had been taking up issues of the people with the officials concerned and trying to resolve them besides organising job fairs.
Mr. Anand Kumar is banking on the welfare schemes of the YSRCP government and the charisma of the Chief Minister to gain a foothold in the constituency, which has elected the TDP candidate in the last two elections.
“The LG Polymers plant has been shifted out of the city after the gas leak but the charge sheet has not been filed till date. The company management had sought permission for establishing a non-polluting industry on the site but the State government is yet to give the same. Pollution control, safety and employment will be my focus areas, if elected again as an MLA,” Mr. Gana Babu told The Hindu.
During his tenure, railway underpasses have been constructed at Marripalem, Rammurthy Panthulapeta and Patha Gopalapatnam. The NSTL compound wall was demolished and a new wall was constructed a little inside to pave the way for construction of a double road parallel to the BRTS Road, between Gopalapatnam and NAD Junction.
The 30-bed hospital in Gopalapatnam, which was constructed in 1999, was converted into a 24-hour hospital and construction of additional buildings was completed in 2014. It was later upgraded into a maternity hospital.
CPI nominee Attili Vimala, who has the support of the INDIA alliance, is also campaigning vigorously in the constituency. “There is a need for increased presence of women in elected bodies for their empowerment,” she says.
Ms. Vimala, who is also State president of A.P. Mahila Samakhya, is popular among the working class and women, as she has spearheaded several agitations, organised by the Left parties in the city. “Severe pollution in some of the areas in West constituency is resulting in frequent abortions among pregnant women,” she adds.
