Political pressure pins down officials

Visakhapatnam: Officials have always succumbed to political pressure and allowed the leaders of the ruling parties to go on with their encroachments and illegal constructions. The demolition of some buildings and notices served to other illegal buildings stand testimony to the political pressure. The officials could not obstruct the leaders of political parties when the buildings were being constructed.  

The issue of unauthorised buildings has created heat in the state after the first collector's conference was held by the YSR Congress government at Prajavedika. Once YSRC president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy assumed charge as the Chief Minister, he said Prajavedika was an unauthorised building and it was demolished in a couple of days.

Since then, the officials have been trying to act tough on the unauthorised projects and those completed. However, the Telugu Desam leaders have been projecting it as political vendetta.

Yet, unauthorised buildings constructed by some TD leaders when in power were razed to the ground. The YSRC government even issued notices to the owner of the building in which former CM N. Chandrababu Naidu is living in Vijayawada on the grounds that it was an illegal construction.

In Visakhapatnam district, the officials partially demolised a building belonging to TD leader and former MLA Peela Govind. A property belonging to former minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao also came under the scanner. However, its demolition has been put on hold after the High Court issued stay order. However, the story is far from over as the officials are waiting for further orders from the court.

The same officials who are taking action against the illegal constructions now had been in position during the TD government too but could not dare to stop the work of the illegal buildings due to political pressures.

In fact, even now, the officials are finding it hard to go ahead with the demolition of illegal buildings belonging to the TD though the party is not in power.  

“This attitude should change. Officials should be allowed to oppose the political leaders if they are doing something illegal," said P. Naveen, a software engineer working in the city.

Former floor leader of BJP P. Vishnu Kumar Raju said, "The officials become helpless if it is a case relating to powerful politicians. No action will be taken against the officials even if they allow the politicians to go ahead with the illegal activities. However, if the same official allows a common man to carry on an illegal activity for his vested interest, then he would be punished. There should be stringent laws to ensure that illegal constructions are not allowed in the initial stages itself. The Chief Minister should be able to give a message to the officials to approach him, if ruling party leaders try to object them from carrying on their duty."