The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Round table seeks second State capital in Rayalaseema

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 09, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Round table seeks second State capital in Rayalaseema

Staff Reporter

`Land value, drought and industrialisation in the State will determine Rayalaseema as the most backward region'

HYDERABAD: A round table on rights of Rayalaseema has sought a second State capital in the region on the lines of Nagpur in the case of Maharashtra.

The meeting, organised by the Rayalaseema Rights United Forum here on Sunday, also wanted a High Court bench, exclusive rights on Krishna water, airport and a gas pipeline for industrial development in the region.

Contrary to the general perception that Rayalaseema comprises only four districts -- Kurnool, Cuddapah, Anantapur and Chittoor -- the meeting was got up with a regional map including parts of two more districts -- Prakasam and Nellore -- in the background.

The reason given was that the entire Penna basin in Prakasam and Nellore be considered part of Rayalaseema. A demand to modernise the Nellore port was also made in this regard.

Fight against G.O. 610

It was resolved to wage a struggle against G.O. 610, which is one of the main demands of the supporters of separate Telangana.

The forum convener and former TDP MLA, T.G. Venkatesh, wanted a compensation of Rs. 50,000 crores to Rayalaseema if Telangana State was created. The sum was meant to compensate Rayalaseema for the lack of development of Kurnool on account of shifting of the capital to Hyderabad.

The former Congress Minister, E. Ayyapu Reddy, said land value, drought conditions over the last two decades and industrialisation in the State would determine Rayalaseema as the most backward region.

A retired High Court judge, Reddappa Reddy, said the demand for a High Court bench in Rayalaseema was ill-conceived. The High Court had rejected the demand in the past.

Similarly, the opposition to G.O. 610 also did not stand legal scrutiny.

They had no right to say it was illegal.

Union Territory status

He demanded the status of Union Territory to Hyderabad, as migrants to the State capital from other regions would feel insecure if it was made part of Telangana State.

The retired Director-General of Police, R. Prabhakar Rao, said politicians exploited the vacuum in the political situation to raise the Telangana bogey. He said irrigation systems were neglected in the hope that major projects would be grounded in Rayalaseema.

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