The issue of unauthorised constructions mushrooming along the Krishna riverbed has come to fore again, with Mangalagiri MLA-elect Alla Ramakrishna Reddy warning of waging a legal battle against the alleged malpractice.
Mr. Ramakrishna Reddy, during a surprise visit to the Krishna riverbed at Undavalli on Monday, claimed that another building was being constructed there in violation of norms.
It is learnt that he spoke to the Executive Engineer, River Conservation Authority in Vijayawada who reportedly feigned ignorance about the unauthorised construction.
NGT fine
“Many illegal structures have come up along the riverbed in violation of the norms of the River Conservation Act. Those structures are certainly posing environmental concerns. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has already slapped a fine of ₹100 crore on the previous government for allowing sand mining from Krishna riverbed,” Mr. Ramakrishna Reddy said.
It may be noted that the riverbed structures at Undavalli include the camp office-cum-residence of former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. A guesthouse owned by a former chairman of Zilla Parishad and a children’s home run by a Vijayawada-based NGO are among the 65 structures identified during a survey done by Krishna district administration in 2015.
“The structures have come up in blatant violations of various rules of revenue, Town Planning and River Conservancy Act,” the MLA-elect alleged and claimed that despite several notices being served by revenue officers, no action has been taken against the violators.
What the norms say
Further, the agricultural lands in the area are yet to be converted for commercial, residential and industrial purposes. As per the Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Land (Conversion for Non-Agricultural Purpose) Act-2006 and NALA, agricultural land can be converted for commercial, industrial and residential purposes only after securing NoCs from the RDO concerned.