Stringent action sought against those who installed statues illegally

Visakhapatnam: Former Union Secretary EAS Sarma, a civil society campaigner for people friendly environment and sustainable development strategist, on Tuesday demanded Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) to take stringent action against all those involved in illegality installing three statues on the beach front without permission.

Sarma warned that if the GVMC failed to take action he will knock the judicial doors. Not obtaining legal permission from the GVMC authorities, some people led by educationist, writer and former MP Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad installed three statues of Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Dasari Narayana Rao and Nandamuri Hari Krishna on the Beach Road.

All the statues were unveiled by HRD Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao last Saturday night. In fact, there is a district-level committee to accord permission to install any statue in the city. However, without giving any information to the authorities, the organisers installed the statues which led to a big dispute between officials and political leaders.

On the issue, Greater Visakha Municipal Corporation (GVMC) authorities issued notice to Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad (YLP) for violating the rules and installing three statues on the Beach Road without taking permission from the GVMC. While responding on the issue, the former IAS officer EAS Sarma in a letter addressed to Commissioner, GVMC pointed out the silence on the issue.

"I wonder whether you (Commissioner, GVMC) are aware of the apex court's observations against statues being installed at public places. The incident reported violates the sentiments expressed by the apex court. One of the persons whose statue was installed at the beach road was involved in a serious court case and two of them have no association whatsoever with Visakhapatnam and its people.

How can unauthorised persons take the law into their hands and encroach on the public space in the city? Is a "jungle raj" prevalent here? How can a responsible Minister willingly defy the apex court's direction? Should not the authorities consult the people of the city in dealing with such matters,? EAS Sarma pointed out in his letter. Sarma also sent a mail on the issue to the Chief Secretary for his immediate intervention.