Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister Botcha Satyanarayana said on Tuesday the State government was examining various factors over development of the State capital at Amaravati.
The Minister’s remarks assume significance in the wake of speculation in several quarters that the new government might shift the capital. Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy himself has alleged on several occasions that Amaravati was a huge scam perpetrated by former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and his cronies by indulging in insider trading.
More dams and drains have to be built in the Amaravati region to protect it from floods and this would impose a huge burden on the exchequer, he added.
‘Panel took a clear line’
Mr. Satyanarayana said that the Sivaramakrishnan Committee set up by the Centre also did not recommend the construction of capital city at Amaravati.
It may be recalled that the committee in its report said that development of the area between Vijayawada and Guntur might impact the State’s economy apart from creating environmental degradation.
No logic: Naidu
Mr. Naidu reacted bitterly to Mr. Satyanarayana’s comments that Amaravati was a flood plain area. The Minister was speaking without any logic, rhyme and reason. The people would have to understand the evil designs and ploy behind such comments. With a plan to shift the Capital to some other place, the State government deliberately portraying the Capital city area as flood plain area, he said.
Mr. Naidu made the comments during his visit to flood affected areas in Avanigadda on Tuesday.
The TDP government planned to construct Amaravati without incurring any expenditure. The people voluntarily gave 33,000 acres of land for the Capital city. After creating the necessary infrastructure, about 8,000 acre land would be at the disposal of the government.
The Capital city could be constructed even if that chunk of land was auctioned, he said, adding the TDP would fight to any extent to ensure that the Capital city was not shifted.
