New Chittoor district loses edu, medicare facilities

Tirupati: Parting is always sad and difficult to cope up. This was true in the case of creation of new districts as many districts were divided to give birth to new districts like Chittoor that was divided into three – Chittoor, Rajampet and Tirupati.

The 122-year-old Chittoor district, a blend of unique Tamil, Telugu and Kannada heritage and culture, as it is encircled by Tamil Nadu and Karnataka States is not only see its prominence diminish as the world famous Tirumala temple, the abode of Lord Venkateswara will be in the new Tirupati district but also to forgo many premier institutions of health and education as most of them located in Tirupati. With the new districts coming into existence from Ugadi, Chittoor district will be left with the Assembly constituencies of Kuppam, Palamneru, Punganuru, Puthalapattu, GD Nellore, Nagiri and Chittoor.

The creation of the new Tirupati and Rajampet Annamayya districts will result in Chittoor left with no major institutions including the biggest hospitals in Rayalaseema SVIMS super specialty hospital and a deemed medical university, Ruia Hospital, BIRRD, a national level institution for disabled, Padmavathi Chilldren's hospital, a state level hospital for children with heart ailments, seven universities including SV University, Sri Padmavathi Mahila University, Agriculture University, SV Veterinary, National Sanskrit University, SV Vedic University, IIT, IISER and International Airport located in and Tirupati will be in the new district.

In fact, even before the creation of the new district Chittoor became a shadow zone with Tirupati dominating in all spheres and the separation of Tirupati and Madanapalli areas not only shrunk Chittoor in area and population wise but also left with no development avenues.

The JNTU campus in Kalikiri, Horticulture Polytechnic College and Krishi Vigyan Centre which is housing NG Ranga Research centre also in Piler, AP Social Welfare Residential Women's Degree College in Piler constituency and the historical Besant Theosophical (BT )College in Madanapalle will also go to Annamaiah district. What was left with Chittoor district is the Dravidian University, Kuppam and Kanipakam temple. Against this backdrop, the creation of new districts is not a happy development for Chittoorians and will remain painful for some time.

It is but natural for the leaders and people to demand the government to announce remedial measures like a special package for its development particularly in education, health and employment generation.

Katari Hemalatha, former Mayor of Chittoor Municipal Corporation and TDP leader, demanded that the government take up the long pending Palaru Project in Kuppam for irrigation development and augmenting drinking water supply. She also wanted the reopening of the closed Chittoor Dairy and Chittoor Cooperative Sugar factory for the benefit of farmers and economic development.

NP Venkateswara Choudary, former MLA of Chittoor and BJP leader, said it was unfortunate that the reorganisation of districts left Chittoor district empty with no facilities like airport, sports stadium, industries and tourism development.

He sought upgrading of Dravidian University introducing many courses in science, technology and professional and also to develop PVKN Degree college in Chittoor as a University.