Chandrababu Naidu gets house demolition notice

Amaravati:  Authorities in Andhra Pradesh are likely to demolish the house of former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu here within a week as they served a notice on Friday for illegal construction even as the opposition TDP dubbed it as “vendetta”.

A day after completing the demolition of ‘Praja Vedika’, a government building adjacent to Naidu’s residence, Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) pasted notice at the main gate of the Leader of the Opposition’s house on the banks of Krishna river in Undavalli village here.

The notice was served in the name of Lingameneni Ramesh, from whom the house was taken on lease by then Chief Minister Naidu after the latter shifted here from Hyderabad in 2016.

According to CRDA, the house was built within 100 meters from the river in violation of River Conservancy Act and other rules and regulations.

The government agency, responsible for construction of new state capital Amaravati, has asked Ramesh to submit an explanation on violations within a week.

“If you do not respond or your response is not satisfactory, the CRDA will proceed with further course as per the law,” the notice said giving clear hints that the illegal construction would be demolished.

The notice said the building, swimming pool, helipad and 10 temporary sheds have no permission.

CRDA officials have reportedly identified over 50 illegal structures and served notices on all of them.

On the orders of Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, CRDA on Tuesday and Wednesday demolished Praja Vedika, which the government had built at a cost of Rs five crore as an annexe of the then Chief Minister’s house to hold official meetings.

Jagan Reddy also alleged that Naidu himself is living in an illegal house. He had said the demolition drive would begin with Praja Vedika and will cover all illegal buildings on the banks of Krishna river at Undavalli.

Meanwhile, reacting strongly to the notice pasted on Naidu’s house, senior TDP leader Y. Ramakrishnudu termed this as an “act of vendetta” by the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government.

He wondered how the notice can be served when a petition filed by local YSRCP legislator A. Ramakrishna Reddy against the alleged unauthorised constructions was still pending in the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

TDP also claimed that the building had received all permissions during the regime of Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s late father and former Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy in 2007.

TDP leader K. Atchan Naidu showed the documents to prove that the authorities concerned had given all permissions.

 Published on: June 28, 2019 at 19:00 IST

IANS