VISAKHAPATNAM: Education minister Botsa Satyanarayana defended construction atop the Rushikonda hillock along the Visakhapatnam beach. He went on to state that there is no harm if a government guest house or even chief minister’s official residence is built at the spot.
Talking to reporters in Visakhapatnam on Thursday, he pointed out that there had earlier been a Haritha Guest House at the spot, which had been owned by the government. As it has got dilapidated, the government is building another guest house.
“What is the harm in constructing a government guest house or even Chief Minister’s official residence there,” the minister asked.
He went on to point out that there are no temples, masjids or churches on Rushikonda hillock to raise objections. He maintained that the construction is being taken up in the most transparent way. Government has invited tenders for the same, he pointed out.
Satyanarayana said: “I had thought of taking an all-party delegation to Rushikonda site. But I later dropped the idea fearing opposition will unnecessarily make it an issue saying stating it is a part of capital plan.”
On farmers marching from Amaravati to Arasavalli, the minister observed that Telugu Desam itself could have directly taken out the procession, instead of organising it through farmers. “TD has no courage to come out directly, whereas YSRC leaders are open about fighting for establishing a capital in Visakhapatnam,” he remarked.
Taking on TD president K. Atchennaidu, who has been questioning the government about development during past three years, Satyanarayana said much of the development like Pharma City, VIMS, Law University, Gangavaram Port and Hill Top IT SEZ had come up when late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy had been the chief minister. “YSR’s son and present Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is going ahead with more development projects,” he remarked.
The minister criticised former union minister P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju for not initiating any development in Vizianagaram district.
