PNS|Vijayawada
Replying to the question asked by MP GVL Narsimha Rao in Rajya Sabha on Thursday on whether the Government of Andhra Pradesh sought the Ministry’s permission for undertaking construction on the Rushikonda hill in Visakhapatnam, Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ashwini Kumar Choubey stated that his Ministry had granted CRZ clearance vide letter dated May 19, 2021 to the project for Development of Tourism Project in an area of 9.88 acres with a total built-up area of 19967.97 sq.m at Rushikonda, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh based on the application submitted by Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation Ltd (APTDC).
The Union Minister further stated that the AP High Court directed the Ministry to depute a team for conducting a survey of the subject area and submit a report as to the exact area over which the construction activity has taken place and the area which has been used for sloping.
The Minister informed on December 12 a committee was constituted headed by a representative of the Integrated Regional Office of Ministry at Vijayawada, with a team of experts from Central and State institutions to conduct a site visit within a week to conduct a survey of the project under construction and submit a report as to the exact area over which the construction activity has taken place and the area which has been used for sloping.
The Minister stated that Section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 empowers the Central government with the power to take all such measures as it deems necessary or expedient for the purpose of protecting and improving the quality of the environment and preventing controlling and abating environmental pollution.
Commenting on it, MP GVL said that he is confident that the blatant CRZ violations in Rushikonda Project will be exposed by the Fact Finding Committee appointed by the Central government.
