Why has the serene Rushikonda beach turned into a political battleground?

Two days ago, Jana Sena supremo Pawan Kalyan too went to Rushikonda to witness the ongoing construction activity.

In May TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu was stopped by the police from visiting Rushikonda.

An irate Naidu staged a protest at the roadside tea stall against the police action preventing him from visiting Rushikonda.

రిషికొండ ను మింగేస్తున్న వైసీపీ ప్రభుత్వ తీరును కనులారా వీక్షించిన శ్రీ @PawanKalyan గారు. విశాఖపట్నం పర్యటన లో భాగంగా రుషికొండ ను పరిశీలించడానికి వెళ్లగా, కొండ చుట్టూ బారికేడ్లు పెట్టి లోపల పనులు చేస్తుండటంతో బయట నుంచి కొండపై జరుగుతున్న పనులను శ్రీ పవన్ కళ్యాణ్ గారు పరిశీలించారు pic.twitter.com/iKnUQ6YZtA

— JanaSena Party (@JanaSenaParty) November 12, 2022

Naidu often raked up the Rushikonda issue in his speeches whenever he talked about Vizag and accused Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy of destroying the coastal city that has been named as the executive capital of the state.

Opposition alleges environmental destruction

Opposition parties have been consistently accusing that while APTDC obtained permissions for the development of 9.8 acres, the construction activity is taking place on a significant portion of the Rushikonda hillock and spreads across an area of 61 acres.

They alleged that the entire hillock has been dug, which led to the damage of the fragile environment, besides construction debris piling up on the beach.

MoEF to survey the site

While there have been many petitions filed against the construction activity at Rushikonda, the Andhra Pradesh High Court recently asked the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to conduct a survey of the site and submit a report. The hearing in this regard has been posted for 14 December.

Interestingly, the Supreme Court last Friday refused to interfere with AP High Court related to the survey by MoEF. The apex asked the petitioner, the YSRCP rebel MP from Narasapur, K Raghu Rama Krishna Raju, to approach the high court.

Judges of the apex court reminded the MP that the high court had asked the ministry to look into the matter and submit a report.

“The entire project lacks transparency. Any project that has the potential to damage the environment should be taken up in the utmost transparent manner right from the conceptual stage,” noted environmental activist and US state’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) participant, Ganjivarapu Srinivas, told South First.

“Every detail at every stage should have been kept in the public domain. On the face of it, it is clear that the majority of the greenery on that hillock has disappeared owing to the construction. Hope the MoEF survey would provide some clarity,” he added.

Project cost pegged at ₹240 crore

It was in the 261st meeting of the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for projects related to the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) held on April 7, 2021, that CRZ clearance was given to APTDC to take up the project of the redevelopment of Haritha Resorts.

The proposed project comprises private luxury villas, beach-facing suites, master suites, guest suites, dining spaces, cafeterias, gymnasiums, swimming pools, banquet halls, security spaces, front desk and back offices, services areas, and kitchens.

The resorts are proposed to be constructed on a land admeasuring 9.88 acres of site area and seven blocks, with a total built-up area of 19,967.97 sq m, and is intended to be complete this year.

Rushikonda beach was awarded the most coveted “Blue Flag Certification” and is the only beach in the state which was selected by the Government of India for development to enable it to vie for the prestigious certification.

The Rushikonda tourism project is proposed to be taken up with a project cost of ₹240 crore in two stages. In Stage I, site preparation and road connectivity works at a project cost of ₹92 crore was planned. And Stage II involved the construction of buildings at a project cost of ₹148 crore.