Move to form new districts opens a Pandora's Box in AP

Visakhapatnam Opinion is divided over the draft notification on doubling the number of districts to 26 by the YSR Congress Party Government in Andhra Pradesh with many hitting the streets over the decision without consulting anyone.

Defending the decision, Government Advisor on Public Affairs Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy and Municipal Administration Minister Botcha Satyanarayana said the number of districts are being increased based on the election promise by YSRCP that there will be one district for each parliamentary constituency with Araku, a ST reserved seat spread over Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and East Godavari districts being an exception due to vast spread of tribal areas.

Though TDP and Left parties are on the warpath against unilateral decision to restructure the districts, a section of YSRCP is also opposing the proposal to make Rayachoti the headquarters of Anamayya district.

"We will be now orphaned. Let Rajampet be retained in YSR Kadapa district or be made the headquarters of the proposed Anamayya district," YSRCP leader and Rajampet municipal vice-chairman Marri Ravi said.

TDP president and Leader of Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu said the declaration of new districts on January 26 through midnight GOs was an attempt to divert public attention from the failure of the government in implementing 11th Pay Revision Commission (PRC).

The government non-gazetted officers, pensioners and teachers, who formed PRC Struggle Committee also found fault with the draft gazette notification saying districts have been finalised by not consulting the stakeholders.

Some leaders in Visakhapatnam criticised the inclusion of several industrial areas in the newly formed Anakaplle district. After redrawing of boundaries subject to final notification, Visakhapatnam, the proposed executive capital, will become the smallest district in the State. It will have 928 square km. Now Visakhapatnam is left with GVMC areas in addition to Bheemunipatnam Assembly segment on the lines of Hyderabad district in Telangana.

Activists in Rampachodavaram in East Godavari are on protest mode over its inclusion in Chinturu and other areas, almost 250 km away from Paderu-the headquarters of Alluri Sitarama Raju district. The districts have been formed in most unscientific method, alleged AP Girijana Sangham State secretary Appala Narasa.

While welcoming formation of small districts to ensure administrative convenience, former bureaucrat E.A.S. Sarma sought the inclusion of 533 villages with tribal population in undivided Visakhapatnam in the proposed Alluri Sitarama Raju district to extend them benefits under the laws framed for protection of scheduled areas.

There is a demand to make Penukonda the district headquarters a new district named after Sri Krishnadevaraya. Film actor and TDP MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna has sought Hindupur as the headquarters the new district based on its geographical importance. The government has decided to make Puttaparthi the headquarters of Sri Sathya Sai district.