Social activist and former IAS Officer E.A.S. Sarma has written to Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney against taking up any activity in Survey No. 314 (old) of Kapuluppada village near the ancient Thotlakonda Buddhist site.
He noted that he had information that some officials of the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) visited the area recently and issued oral instruction to the local revenue officers to select land in Chepala Thimmapuram, Chinna Mangamaripeta and Peda Mangamaripeta for establishment of the ‘Executive Capital’ of the State.
Mr. Sarma noted that all these lands fall within S. No. 314 (old) of Kapuluppada village, which was notified vide GO No. 627 dated 2/5/1978 under the AP Ancient and Historical Monuments, Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1960. Any proposal to divert any part of this stretch of land for the ‘Executive Capital’ will be violative of the provisions of the above Act. The matter came up time and again before the Andhra Pradesh High Court and it had directed the then State government in November, 2016 that no construction activity should be taken up within S. No. 314 (old).
‘Judicial intervention’
He urged upon the Chief Secretary not to proceed with the above proposal, failing which they would be constrained to seek judicial intervention once again.