The Hindu Business Line : AP revokes order on Vizag-Kakinada industrial coastal corridor

The Andhra Pradesh Government has revoked its order (No. 34) relating to the development of a coastal industrial corridor between Visakhapatnam and Kakinada in the first phase, which is later to be extended to the other coastal districts, following political controversy kicked up over the issue by the Opposition parties, especially the Telugu Desam.

The proposal came in for condemnation from the Telugu Desam and other opposition parties, as well as environmental groups, which gave vent to apprehensions that the proposed industrial corridor would ruin the coastal environs and lead to displacement of farmers, fishermen and other coastal communities on a large scale. Agriculture, fisheries and other sectors would be adversely affected and the gains from the corridor would be illusory, the Opposition contended.

Demo against corridor

Mr Chandrababu Naidu, former Chief Minister and Telugu Desam leader, participated in a demonstration against the corridor at Kakinada last month and promised that, if voted to power, his party would revoke the GO. Later, the Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, said the Opposition was misleading the people on the issue and the proposed corridor was nothing more than a coastal road between Kakinada and Visakhapatnam and the Government would give up the proposal, if the public was really opposed to it.

Apparently, fearing the political fallout, the Government scrapped the GO on Saturday, a move welcomed by the environmental groups but described by the Opposition as a “mere election stunt.”

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