Jagan orders demolition of Naidu’s Praja Vedika

Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy, in his first ever Collector’s conference at the Praja Vedika in Undavalli on Monday, ordered the demolition of the very conference hall built by the Nara Chandrababu Naidu government adjacent to his leased bungalow violating all norms.

In the most dramatic manner, the Chief Minister directed the officials to take up demolition of the hall on Thursday after the conclusion of the conference.

The conference is attended by collectors, SPs, all heads of departments, secretaries and cabinet ministers.

“I have deliberately called for the meeting here in the same building to show all of you how almost all the laws pertaining to construction of a building near a river have been violated by the erstwhile government. A sincere officer refused to give permission clearly saying that the building level is less than the flood level. But the government bulldozed the objections. I want to make Praja Vedika the first such illegal structure in the state to be demolished in the days to come,” Jagan said.

It was on Saturday that the government started moving away from all materials, belonging to Naidu from Prajavedika saying that the collectors' conference will be organised here despite resistance from TDP leaders.

However, no one expected the chief minister to order the demolition of the hall -- the only government-owned conference hall in the vicinity of the core capital.

“Not only the structure was built violating the Green Tribunal's directions, but even the estimates have also been hiked from Rs 5 crore to Rs 8 crore. Do we have a moral right to ask the general public not to encroach or construct illegally?” he questioned the collectors.

Jagan argued that the Telugu Desam Government has sent signals to the common man that violation of law is acceptable.

“This is how Naidu purchased 23 of my MLAs. Our request to disqualify them was not heard by the then Speaker,” Jagan reasoned out.

He urged the district collectors to treat the manifesto YSRCP as 'Bhagavad Geetha'.

“Never forget that the people gave huge mandate to us and you through me to serve them and fulfill all the promises we have made. “Hence, there should be no politics in implementing government schemes. Don't differentiate the beneficiary on party lines,” he advised the collectors.

He said that all benefits must be door-delivered through the help of grama secretariats and grama volunteers.