JSP corporator demands halting of activities at Rushikonda palace

Visakhapatnam: Jana Sena Party Corporator P Murthy Yadav raised objection over the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Corporation’s (APTDC) proposal to utilise the Rushikonda buildings and the 9 acres of land adjacent to it, as he terms it as a violation of environmental rule and court orders.

Speaking to the media in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday, he said that the APTDC issued a public notification on October 11 regarding the hospitality sector for the Rushikonda buildings.

However, the JSP leader said that issuing any notification while the WP (PIL) is pending in the Andhra Pradesh High Court would be considered contempt of court. He said that an expert committee has already been appointed on the issue as per the orders of the High Court and the report of the committee is yet to be made public, he mentioned. ”If we look at the past judgments in such cases, the structures will have to be demolished as per the rules or a high penalty will be imposed on such structures,” the corporator stated.

Murthy Yadav made it clear that when courts are passing judgments on such serious violations of environmental norms, public notices should not be issued. In such a situation, inviting people and institutions to invest money and issuing related notices would fall under the contempt of court, he said.

The corporator alleged that there was a conspiracy to protect officials and politicians who violated the norms and constructed a palace at Rushikonda hill.

Murthy Yadav warned that if the authorities did not halt further activities, he would have to approach the High Court for a hearing under the contempt of Court Act.