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AP Capital Amaravathi Inauguration conundrum
Highlights
Amaravati the proposed capital for residual A.P. state is creating a great deal of hype. Infact it has become the principal agenda for Chandababu Naidu’sgovernment.
Amaravati the proposed capital for residual A.P. state is creating a great deal of hype. Infact it has become the principal agenda for Chandababu Naidu’sgovernment.
Theconcern is quite natural for a new state which needs to build its own capital after separation from a bigger state. Many new states in India, had built their own capitals as part of reorganization of states after independence.
Examples are Bhubaneshwar, Chandigarh, Gandhinagar etc. They have grown in to modern, progressive cities in India promising further development.
They were all built commensurate with theneeds and resources of the states and the future growth. Their development was gradual and organic.
But, in case of A.P. paradoxically, the very conception of capital is radically different from them. The separation of residual A.P. was stressful to Andhras.After their separation from Madras state in 1953, Andhras merged with Telangana region in 1956 for a capital in Hyderabad.
Though there were agitations for demerger from Telangana people for several reasons Andhras were against the demand for reasons of their own. Hyderabad capital is the major reason. It was considered their ‘El Dorado’.
They were loath to leave it.But the intense agitation from 2001 to 2014 has yielded Telangana state. Like in many other divisions of states ---- Madras, Bombay, Shillong etc., they had to leave the capital in the united state, to build a capital of their own.
But the intense longingof Andhra’s for Hyderabad and the fanning the feeling of loss by Andhra politicians on it has created an uncommon distress in the minds of people of residual A.P. That feeling is being exploited by Chandrababu Naidu ---- ever the wheeler dealer in politics.
Taking advantage of the disquiet in the minds of the people he has created a gargantuan dream of world class capital, as spiteto losing Hyderabad. He is nursing the idea for the last 15 months and has made it grow in to ‘a bench mark city’ for the entire world, whatever that means.
In the circumstances, Andhras’ desire for a first class city as good as Hyderabad is understandable.
As the prudence demands, he could go for a model like Bhubaneshwar, Chandigarh, Naya Raipur etc. with some more modern amenities, to make it smarter than them.If it was to create a capital like Hyderabad in a short time Vizag the 10th largest city in the country, with considerable infrastructure and some cosmopolitan character was a good choice.
Or the place between Maruturu and Dhonakonda as recommended by Central committee to build a planned city commensurate with the needs and resources of the state to promote it gradually in to a mega city. But, he did not do so.He simply opted for a world class capital like Singapore.
He is making the state’s politics veer round that concept to the point of exasperation for obvious political reasons.
His dream to make Amaravati, a ‘bench mark city’ in the world issomethingincomprehensible.
For, residual A.P. does not have the wherewithal to undertake such an exotic project.Building it with the monies of countries like Singapore, Japan etc., as schemed by Naiduin itself is very dicey.
Even if it is done so, the need for it,its sustainability and serviceability by the frail economy of A.P. is highly questionable.After all A.P. is not a country. It is one of the 29 states in India with a GDP of around $80 B;$1200 PCI and an annual budget of about $20B, 70 % of which goes to its establishment expenditure.
Today the smartest city coming in to existence is ‘Songdo’ in South Korea.This Asia's half-finished "high-tech utopia" is a 10 year project to be completed in 2015. After eleven years, spending $35 billion, ‘Songdo’ has completed some 60 percent of its planned infrastructure and buildings.
It is built on 1500 acres of reclaimed land,with computers built into the houses, streets, and offices as part of a wide area network.South Korea with a GDP of more than $ 700 B and more than $35000 PCI and an annual budget of more than $350B is a technological giant in the world.Chandrabau Naidu trying to imitate a city like ‘Songdo’ with his state’s small economy is a simple fantasy, like a child playing a digital game on a Nintendo.
But, Chandrababu Naidu’s obsession with this utopian dream; Singapore’sinterest to come in to this mishmash of the project; theCentral government allowing himto indulge in the international kite flying for it, is a big puzzle.
Naidu’s extravagance, ostentation on it --- spending scarce state resources with abnormal fixation,also is a cause of anxiety.
Hemight have already spent Rs.500 cr.of the center’s assistance of Rs.1500 crores for capital on his foreign trips, masterplan parleys, land pooling exercise, its publicity, meetings. functions etc.
As if earlier spending is not enough, now comes the super-mega event of inauguration by Narendra Modi---inviting a few foreign PMs,all diplomats, all CMs in the country ;getting water and mud from all the villages in the state; felicitating farmers, benefactors, dignitaries;laying emergency helipads and roadsfor the occasion and mobilizing 2 lakh people.An international event management consultant is hired for the purpose.
The money to be spent on it is estimated to be anything between Rs.100 to 300 cr.This hype, glitzand ado are just for the publicity and looks like pouring the money down the drain.
All this is about destroying 33000 acres of prime multi-crop agriculture land for the core capital and affecting 2 lakh acres of best irrigated land in the capital region of 7240 sq.kms.Inaddition there are several more ecological and technological issues concerning the safety and serenity of the city. The inaugural ceremony of the city is on 22 nd October.
Now, the National Green Tribunal on 10th October has given interim orders not to undertake any land levelling and construction works in that 33000 acres area without environmental and ecological clearance from MoEF.
It has also directed A.P. government tofurnish a report concerning the wet lands or the lands that might be submerged in floods in that area.
But, the government is acting nonchalant and saying that it will get all the necessary permissions before that time.
Earlier the government has said in its counter that the masterplan is not finalized and the stage is not yet arrived for getting environmental clearance.
It is not known how it has applied for clearances now with out informing the tribunal and proceeds on inauguration even before getting the clearance. It looks like government is taking everything for granted.
There is need to finalize the master plan for the entire capital region development and seek environmental clearance for it before undertaking any construction.
It is not proper to take clearances piece mealseparately for inaugural function, helipads, laying of approach roads and levelling of land for the function etc. to mislead courts.
Centre should be knowing the procedureand formalities of such project in terms of 2006 stipulations on environment.
PM should not allow a state government in indulging in such anarchic administration and support it.It can lead to believe that if Center and State governments are in sync they can do anything circumventing rules and regulations of their own governments.
It does not sound like a parliamentary democracy.
It is not simply the question of rules and regulations. It is of legislative propriety.
Here the feasibility, safety and serenity of the new city that is being built for the use of the state’s people and their posterity are under consideration. There are questions on every aspect of the issue ---- Political, economic, technological, ecological and legislative.
Both central and state governments,which are supposed to observe all the relevantnormson them,are flouting them at will for the idiosyncrasies of the executive heads. Flouting their own legislative business rules and the environmental stipulations and try to mislead the courts on it is a very sad state of affairs.
The PM coming to such an ostentatious program, which is flouting all the ethics of parliamentary democracy and inaugurating it, will be a highly regrettable act. The king not only can not commit a wrong but also cannot abet the committing of a wrong.
J R Janumpalli
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