The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Visakhapatnam News : A jinxed inauguration!

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Thursday, Jun 30, 2011
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

A jinxed inauguration!

Staff Reporter

The four-storied building has been gathering dust for over 18 months after completion of its construction

VISAKHAPATNAM: The inauguration of the AP Pollution Control Board (APPCB) Office seems to be jinxed.

Third time

Its inauguration has been cancelled for the third time on Wednesday. Minister for Tribal Welfare P. Balaraju, who was supposed to have inaugurated the building, failed to turn up.

It was said that he had rushed back to Hyderabad as he had to attend to some important work.

The four-storied building, which is designed to accommodate the APPCB Zonal Office, Regional Office and Zonal Laboratory in three floors and a guest house on the top floor, has been gathering dust for over 18 months after completion of its construction.

The foundation stone for the office complex was laid by the late Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in 2005 and the construction was completed in September 2009. He was supposed to have inaugurated the building but it was unfortunate that he died in a helicopter crash. Chief Minister K. Rosaiah was scheduled to have inaugurated the building during his proposed visit to city to participate in the Bheemili Utsav held during April. However, that didn't happen as Mr. Rosaiah cancelled his trip at the eleventh hour citing health reasons.

Minister for Environment and Forests Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy was slated to inaugurate the building on November 24, 2010.

He failed to turn up as there was reshuffle of the Cabinet and he had to stay back in Hyderabad.

The building, constructed at a cost of Rs.5 crores, was given a fresh coat of paint recently. The APPCB is said to be paying Rs.50,000 a month for its three offices, located at different places in the city.

Puja performed

Though there was no inauguration on Wednesday, puja was performed by the priests as scheduled.

The officials were, however, not sure whether shifting of the office would be done. “We will await the instructions of our higher ups in Hyderabad in this regard,” they said.

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