Rushikonda Hill case: HC adjourns case to May 11

VISAKHAPATNAM: The state High Court heard the arguments of counsels of Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) and petitioners with regard to Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) violations on Rushikonda resort in Visakhapatnam on Monday and posted the case to May 11 for the next hearing.

It may be recalled that GVMC corporator and Jana Sena leader PL Murthy Yadav, TD MLA from Visakhapatnam (East) Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu and MP K Raghu Rama Krishna Raju filed PILs in the court individually on the violations of CRZ laws against the APTDC and other government agencies.

The High Court formed a committee to study the violations and to submit a report. The members of the committee are Dr P Suresh Babu representing the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Integrated Regional Office, Vijayawada, V.V.S. Sarma National Institute of Oceanography, Visakhapatnam, Dr Manik Mahapatra National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, K.C. Nayak Central Public Works, Vijayawada and Dr D. Sowmya Pollution Control Board, New Delhi.

The team conducted the survey from March 13 to March 15 in the presence of APTDC officials and submitted the report to the court on April 13. The joint committee found that APTDC made modifications in land use patterns, altered the number of blocks along with the built-up area of each block and constructed the same without prior approval of MOEF and CC. The committee also said APTDC has dumped the excavated soil at the CRZ-2 south side of Rushikonda Hill and other locations without prior permission.