Praja Chaitanya Vedika founder Kalisetti Appala Naidu on Friday urged the State Government to immediately withdraw its proposal to include Etcherla Assembly constituency in neighbouring Vizianagaram district.
Addressing a press conference in Ranasthalam, Mr. Appala Naidu said that over 70% of the wealth of Srikakulam district comes under the jurisiction of the Etcherla-Pydibhimavaram industrial belt.
“Almost all multinational companies including Aurobindo Pharma, Reddy’s Labaratory and Nagarjuna Agrichem are in Etcherla. Moreover, Etcherla's limits spread upto Srikakulam constituency. The government allocated lands to poor people of Srikakulam in Etcherla constituency. There is a proposal to merge those places in Srikakulam Municipal Corporation limits. In this backdrop, it is unfair to merge Etcherla Assembly segment with Vizianagaram district,” said Mr. Appala Naidu.
He said that people from all walks of life were shocked at the proposal, adding that it posed a threat to the very existence of Srikakulam district. Mr. Appala Naidu said that the Vedika would organise peaceful protests and roundtable conferences over the issue.