Pollution, traffic, Bhogapuram airport road connectivity dominate DRC meet in Vizag

During the District Review Committee (DRC) meeting held in Visakhapatnam on Friday, key issues including increasing pollution, traffic, road connectivity to Bhogapuram airport, TIDCO houses and other issues took centre stage. The meeting, reviewed district development works and implementation of various public welfare schemes was chaired by district in-charge Minister, Dola Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy was attended by District Collector Harendhira Prasad. MP M. Sribharat, MLAs, and heads of all departments.

MP M. Sribharat emphasised that need for preventive measures to control air pollution well before it reaches dangerous levels. He instructed officials to regularly review and monitor the functioning and accuracy of the air quality index monitoring equipment. The MP stressed the need to address pollution rising from the transportation and storage of fly ash. He expressed concern over the delays in readying the ‘Master Plan Roads’ to the Bhogapuram international airport. He warned that with an incomplete ‘Master Plan Roads’ could cause serious difficulties for the city once the airport becomes operational.

District In-charge Minister Dola Sri Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy directed officials to ensure completion of all ‘Master Plan Roads’ before the inauguration of the Bhogapuram airport. The Minister also called for thorough land surveys in both rural and urban areas. Special attention to be paid to maintenance of streetlights, and infrastructure facilities in secretariats.

District Collector Harendhira Prasad stated that strong measures are being implemented to control pollution in the district. “A committee comprising of officials from industries, labour, revenue and other departments is formed, and inspections are being conducted. Fines to the tune of ₹4 crore to ₹5 crore have been imposed on institutions found violating norms,” he said.

Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao called for strict implementation of GO 296 related to land regularisation in the Gajuwaka constituency. Government Whip and West MLA P.G.V.R. Naidu alias Ganababu urged early completion of the ROB construction near NAD Junction.

North Constituency MLA Vishnu Kumar Raju highlighted that the absence of compound walls and proper lighting in some schools has led to anti-social activities at night in the constituency. He called for steps to curb such incidents. Addtionally, he requested for an increase in the number of Vande Bharat trains before the airport becomes operational.

South Constituency MLA Vamsikrishna Srinivas sought for the establishing a Rythu Bazaar in the constituency. He said that since large parcels of lands are not available in the region, authorities should consider setting up the bazaar in a small space.

Pendurthi MLA Panchakarla Ramesh Babu requested allocation of land for construction of community halls within his constituency.

Visakhapatnam Mayor Peela Srinivasa Rao, MLCs Varudu Kalyani, Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) chairman Pranav Gopal, Commissioner of Police, Shankhabrata Bagchi, Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) Commissioner Ketan Garg, Joint Collector K. Mayur Ashok, along with others were present.