Coastal Corridor : Missed Opportunity?
Politics often come in the way of Development. Some times, for no reason. In the name of stopping Political corruption, this time, major political parties are blocking a huge Infrastructure project that will eventually benefit Coastal Andhra Pradesh.
Will it be a missed opportunity? Because, we are already running out of time in building our infrastructure.
Coastal Corridor is a part of monumental infrastructure development project that will build or extend :
- 5 SEZs
- Ports
- Roads
- Airports and
- Rail
If political parties are really interested in the welfare of people and are afraid of injustice done to those land/property owners, then they must fight to arrange for proper and fair displacement and fair market value for the property involved. Not block the project itself, that will alter the lives of the very people.
The following snapshots taken from a presentation by AP PCPIR depict that this monumental project aiming to achieve. It doesn't look like just born politician Chiranjeevi, or suddenly elevated new born leaders of his party or the age old opportunist Chandra Babu Naidu, that pioneered and once stood for the very infrastructure development projects, truly understand what kind of injustice they are doing to Coastal Andhra Pradesh by blocking the projects.
The idea of SEZs and corridors was the brainchild of former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, and the same policies were being pursued by Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy too (Source: The Hindu)
(Source : AP PCPIR)
Hope, people realize the importance of these projects and keep long term benefits in mind before emotionally deciding the fate of these projects. The damage has already been done, as Government revoked the GO.34 that was brought to life to study and evaluate the corridor project.
The current political climate is quite unfortunate and definitely not in the best interests of people of AP in general and Coastal AP in particular.
Comments
What is missing in the comment here is the loss of sovreignty - the government will effectively surrender the region to MNCs and Indian corporations.
People who have been practising a sustainable economy for centuries will be evicted to impose speculators and industries which will be exempt from taxes, labour laws and environmental regulations.
If you think this is an exxageration just see how effectively labour, health and environmental regulations are enforced in Patancheru or Jeedimetla in Hyderabad. without even the pretense of such rules, the units will turn the streams, rivers and the sea into a dumping ground for cyanides, nitrates, sulphides and heavy metals. The entire eco system and the livelihoods of millions of small and marginal farmers, agricultural labourers, fishing communities and artisans will be destroyed. Just see what is happening in Polepalli!