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Amaravati’s itinerary comes to final stage

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Amaravati’s itinerary comes to final stage

The Andhra Pradesh government is giving its final draft to all the arrangements for laying of foundation stone ceremony of new capital Amaravati. The event is going to be a grand affair with different cultural programmes, huge rituals to be performed in the presence of Prime Minister Modi and other national and international personalities.

The AP chief minister Chandrababu Naidu who is monitoring all the arrangements by himself has held a meeting with CRDA officials on Tuesday evening. During this meeting, it was decided that in all there will be three stages which includes one main stage which is accommodated to only 15 members including the PM, the chief minister and few VVIPs.

The second stage will be occupied by foreign ambassadors, lawyers, industrialists and few other celebrities. While the last stage will be accomadated to MPs, MLAs and MLCs. Supreme court chief justice and High court chief justice will be gracing this historical event. Popular actor and dubbing artist Sai Kumar will be hosting this programme. Cultural and folk artists including Drums Sivamani and Kuchibotla Anand will be performing on the occasion.

A massive set for displaying Purna Kalasas carrying mud and water will also be erected.

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This is how all roads lead to Amaravati

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This is how all roads lead to Amaravati

Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu today finalized the program for ” People’s capital and Amaravati Construction resolve” . The program, meant to create Amaravati euphoria in Andhra Pradesh begins from Tuesday with celebration of “Our Soil, Our Water and Our Amaravati”. The program will go on till 15.10.2015.

  • 13th, 14th and 15th October – Collect Matti (soil) in cloth bags    and clean water in copper kalasams village wise/ Municipal ward wise and keep in GP/Municipal ward Office.

During the period specimen soil and water will be collected from the anthills and local streams or wells, whichever the local people believe as sacred ,in Kalasham (ritual urn). All these will paraded around the city or town or village amid all-religion prayers. The message is get local people’s blessings to the capital project.

On October 17, all these kalashalu containing specimen soil and water will shifted to constituency centres. All-religion prayers will be conducted once again. On October 18, designated people will carry the sacred soil and water to capital Amaravati.

*October 17: Soil bags and Kalasams to be taken in colourful processions so as to reach Assembly constituency headquarter towns in a convoy.

*October 18:Start for Amaravati,  with a banner Mana Rajadhani Amaravati –Mana Matti – Mana Neeru

 

All vehicles from all constituency Headquarters  will join at District Headquarters or at District  border and move together on  October 18 or 19  morning (as per the distance) and reach Nagarjuna University  in a convoy by 5 PM on  October 19.

 

On October 20 and October 21, prayers will be performed for these Kalashalu and later all these sacred urns will be shifted to the exact place where Prime Minister Narendramodi is going to lay the foundation stone. In the meantime, in Krishna Guntur districts, an Amaravati Resolve torch rally will be organized. The CM flag will off the convoy to Amaravati. Government is going to designate officials to oversee all the rituals in villages, towns and constituencies across the state. The entire program will be videographed and preserved for posterity.

  • On October 21, the soil and water is mixed with holy waters from all major rivers of India and kept at a place to be used during Foundation Laying Ceremony and also later for the construction of various public buildings in Amaravati.

 

On October 18, in Municipal towns and major gram panchayats 2K run and 5K run will be organized to express solidarity to the construction of Amravati capital construction project. Similarly torch rallies will be conducted in every village. Every Village will send a Sankalpa Patram along with water and soil to Amaravati. About 160 temples, 50 churches and 50 masjids have been identified to perform special pujas to propitiate gods to ward off the evil spirits coming in the way of construction of Amaravati.

Three highways have been identified in the state to carrying the soil -water urns to the capital city. The cavalcades carrying the sacred kalasham will ultimately join these highway and march towards Amaravati. It should be planned in such a way that every vehicle carrying the kalasham reached the capital city by October 19.

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Former Chandigarh administrator cautions PM on Amaravati

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Former Chandigarh administrator cautions PM on Amaravati

[intro]Retired IAS and former Administrator of Chandigarh MG Devasahayam also sent an email to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office to caution the PM that his visit to Amravati would be amounting to an act against the thousands of small and marginal farmers, whose livelihood is being trampled upon by the capital project. Dr Devasahayam headed a fact finding committee set up by National Alliance for People’s Movements to study the suitability of the Amaravati area to build a capital city. He says capital city is going to be a Real Estate El dorado of Andrha Pradesh. Following is the edited version of the letter.[/intro]

Dear Mr Misra,

Having led the National Alliance of People’s Movement appointed Fact Finding Mission I have gone into the various aspects of the Andhra Pradesh Capital-City project coming up in Amravati and have fair amount of Information on this. Besides, having been associated with the Chandigarh Capital Project as the Deputy Commissioner cum Estate Officer of the City and Union Territory, I have fair knowledge as to how capital-cities are planned, funded and developed.

The AP state capital in Amravati on which work is proceeding at breakneck speed is in total violation of constitutional provisions, AP Reorganisation Act, Land Acquisition Act-2013 and Environmental Protection Act and Rules made thereunder. Though Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) is the project-proponent in paper, and Government of Andhra Pradesh (GoAP) the project-patron, the project is actually being driven by powerful and moneyed Real Estate operators from Singapore, Hyderabad, AP and Delhi. This project is extremely detrimental to Andhra Pradesh’s agricultural systems, India’s food security and environmental sustainability.

2

A brief recap. The Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, 2014 was enacted by Parliament as per provisions of Article 2, 3 and 4 of the Constitution of India. Under Section 6 of said Act the Central Govt. constituted a Committee headed by late K.C. Sivaramakrishnan, to study various alternatives regarding the New Capital for the successor State of Andhra Pradesh and make appropriate recommendation. ToR for the said Committee inter alia includes following:-

· Least possible dislocation to existing agriculture systems as well as ensure minimum resettlement of people and their habitations.
· Preservation of local ecology and natural features including water bodies.
· Vulnerability assessment from natural disasters like floods, cyclones and earthquakes.
· Assess the scope for minimising the cost of construction and acquisition of land.

Committee did not favor a green-field capital-city for AP at this stage and opined that if the GoAP wants to pursue this option, it has to carry out a careful search for locations where suitably large parcels of government land may be available. Committee after considering all the aspects, found the Vijayavada – Guntur – Tenali – Mangalegiri (VGTM) Region unsuitable for setting up state Capital.

Totally ignoring the Committee Report without assigning any reason, GoAP enacted the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority Act, 2014 (CRDA Act) on 30thDec. 2014 and declared VGTM as Capital city and Capital Region Area. This legislation does not have the assent of President of India and therefore untenable being in conflict with Central Acts.

3

To build this capital-city about 35000 acres of land is being coercively ‘pooled’. This area comprises of very fertile agricultural lands, situated in the Krishna Delta and is within the flood affected and seismic Zone i.e. highly susceptible/vulnerable to Natural Calamities like, Flood, Earthquake and Cyclone. GoAP has not complied with even the preliminary requirements for a large capital-city project such as concept paper, population projection, Social Impact Assessment, land survey & requirement study, feasibility study, Environmental Impact Assessment, Detailed Project Report, Master Planning etc. All that has been done is some farcical documentation to get a hurriedly ‘in-principle’ approval from the state environment authorities who are under the administrative control of the project-patron.

It is pertinent here to point out that in Chandigarh which is the most acclaimed capital area in India, only 9000 acres were taken in Phase 1, and 6000 acres in Phase 2, making a total of 15000 acres. These two phases of the city now with a population of 1.2 million has taken more than 60 years for implementation. Chandigarh is low-rise-low-density city with a high percentage of open space in the form of vistas, avenues, gardens, valleys, lakes etc. As against this AP Capital is being planned as high-rise-high-intensity and such a city for a million plus population in a century or so could be built in about 5000 to 6000 acres. Grabbing 35000 acres is nothing but blatant real-estate venture.

GoAP also does not have the funds to carry out even a fraction of the massive capital-city project estimated to cost over Rs. 300,000 crores. Such a huge expenditure cannot be incurred by the State government without adversely affecting budgetary allocations in the State.

4

Land Pooling Scheme (LPS) as claimed by GoAP is a sleight-of-hand. In actual fact in order to rush things and coerce farmers into surrendering the land GoAP on 14 May 2015 issued Notification for coercive acquisition of land major tracts of which are irrigated multi-crop land acquisition of which is specifically prohibited under Section 10 of LARR Act, 2013. Also capital-city project does not come under the definition of ‘public purpose’ provided in Section 2 of the LARR Act. What is alarming, this coercively acquired/pooled without paying any compensation to the farmers are being handed over to private agencies on a 99-year lease for commercial exploitation [GOMs No 110 dated 2-5-2015 by GoAP Municipal Adinistration & Urban Development Dept]. It was for this purpose that Section 54 of the CRDA Act provides for ‘Developer Entities’ which are private real estate developers.

AP capital-city project area has two kinds of villages–one with irrigated multi-crop land within 2 km from the river and another with mostly rain fed land. All the villages have a vibrant agricultural economy of Rs.1000 crores per year, with complete linkages from farm to market, and large sections of people deriving livelihoods–including land owners, sharecroppers, tenant farmers and agricultural workers. This is an area of the best soil and climatic conditions, and the richest diversity of more than 120 crops. More than 1 lakh working persons are earning secure livelihood from agriculture in these villages, including the residents and external labour.

The government figures show that 32,153 persons in these villages are mainly dependent on agricultural labour whereas 10,556 persons are mainly dependent on cultivating their land. About 80% of the people involved in agriculture in these villages are landless or marginal farmers who are dependent on agricultural labour and tenancy. There is absolutely no compensation or safeguards being included by the government for these people who will be losing their secure livelihoods.

Master Plan for the capital City is being prepared by a foreign entity in utter secrecy without any consultation process with the stake holders and without taking into consideration the environmental, ecological, social, economic and other ground realities. Prime Minister has been invited to lay the foundation stone on 22 October 2015for a massive capital-city project for which even the basic documentation for land title is not really available with CRDA, the project-proponent. And as per media reports National Green Tribunal on Saturday directed CRDA not to take up any construction-related activity for the new capital-city until the necessary environmental clearances are acquired. NGT also has reportedly restrained the project-proponent from taking up any work, including levelling of the grounds.

Under the circumstances it would be extremely embarrassing for the PM and Government of India to participate in the 22 October function at ‘Amravati’ and lay the foundation stone for a non-existent but extremely hyped ‘project’. It could also be perceived as an act against thousands of small/marginal farmers and agricultural labour whose livelihood would be sacrificed at the altar of this massive, environment-killing Real Estate El dorado which Andhra Pradesh do not require.

From,
M.G.Devasahayam IAS (Retd),
103, Ceebros Bayview, 4th Seaward Road,
Valmikinagar, Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai – 600041
Email: deva1940@gmail.com ; Mobile: 09940174446

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Naidu gives new Mantra to AP people

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Naidu gives new Mantra to AP people

Chief minister Chandrababau Naidu has given new chant for Telugu people of successor state of Andhra Pradesh: ” Mana Amaravati” (Our Amaravati). The objective of the slogan is to transform ” Amaravati ” a magical word that should reverberate in very town, village and house in Andhra Pradesh. He wants everyone chant Amaravati starting from tomorrow until the foundation stone is laid on October 22, 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at UdhandaRayunipalem on the banks of River Krishna in Guntur district.

Naidu called upon the party all leaders at all levels in the organization structure to participate in the all programs connected to Amaravati Sankustapanana ceremony commencing from tomorrow. Naidu addressed a teleconference with MLA, MLC, and MPs of the party this morning . He asked them to participate in 10K and 5K runs being organized on October 18 to create Amaravati awareness among the people and about the importance developing Amaravati as world-class capital. These runs are part of the campaign to persuade people to participate in the capital construction in way or the other. He was very particular about the participation of MPs, MLAs, MLCs and other leaders of the party.
He briefed them about the ‘Mana matti- Mana neeru – Mana Amaravathi’ and asked then ensure that party leaders, workers, sympathizers participated in the program in a big way.

On the other side, despite green tribunal directive not take up ground leveling activities before getting environmental clearance for the capital construction project, the civil works for the foundation stone laying ceremony are in full swing. The main theme of the event is ‘Sunrise State,’ (opposition criticizing this as ‘son-rise state) and the main stage would have a huge digital screen showing the sun rising on the horizon. Rising sun is the line for investment promotion campaign of Andhra Pradesh. The event manager, Mumbai-based Wizcraft Event Managers , which gave a presentation of the theme in the cabinet meeting, is meticulously putting the theme of chief minister Naidu to practice as per Vastu. A representative of CRDA told telugu360.com that Vastu was being followed at every step- raising the stage, seating arrangement, fixing the location of foundation laying ceremony, facing of the state, galleries, in-gates and out-gates of the venue.

The erection of the main stage began with workers mounting steel poles on the ground. The huge dais overlooking the Krishna river is being arranged in North Eastern direction to face the Krishna river.”River is the governing force for us. The capitals heart lies in the river,” the CRDA sources said. The 200-acrea area chosen for performing Puja for laying foundation stone, has been taken over by the police to take care of the security plan commensurate with the expected gathering.

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Naidu wants Amaravati a sacred destination

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Naidu wants Amaravati a sacred destination

Chief minister Chandrababu Naidu, who has inherited three divergent cultural geographies in the form of successor state of Andhra Pradesh, is struggling a lot to construct a single culture identity for the state of Andhra Pradesh. Unlike Telangana, which is culturally a single unit at macro level, Naidu’s Andhra Pradesh is composed of three regions Rayalaseema, Northa coastal Andhra, and core Andhra (circar ) region, which are culturally, economically and socially poles apart. While the first two are backward regions, the third, Andhra area, is a fertile, money rich delta region. Location of capital in the fertile region has created irreversible chasm between the backward and advanced Andhra regions. So, sensing trouble in future, Naidu is planning to construct a single, catch-all cultural identity, to nip the resentment in the bud. His struggle is evident in the way the foundation stone laying ceremony is being organized as a culture festival.

Noted sculptor Rajiv Sethi is designing a grand memorial at Amaravati, the upcoming capital city, in an extent of 200 acres, which according to chief minister Chandrababu Naidu, will become a major tourist spot in the city. It will have a big tourist gallery and a museum depicting the theme of Amaravati city through the ages. To make the memorial sacred spot, the water gathered from all the rivers across the country , will be used in the construction of the memorial. On the eve of foundation laying ceremony, prayer will be conducted 150 temples, 50 churches and 50 masjids all over Andhra Pradesh. The chief minister instructed the official to collect the letters containing the pledge that they are committed to build the temple from the people from 16000 villages in the states. All these letters will be preserved in a time capsule. A Jyothi( torch) symbolising the Amravati fulfilment should be brought from every mandal to Amaravati. CRDA will bring about the booklets with information about the greatness of site of capital Amaravati and the importance of building a world-class capital and ensure they reached every student in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The booklet carry the message,” centre of world’s investments, future destination of youth”. The cabinet,which is meeting on Saturday, will decide the various programs be conducted during the official festival program from October 13 to October 21. Chief minister also instructed the official to organize the foundation stone laying ceremony in such a spectacular way that it should go down in the history of Andhra Pradesh as turning point.

These are instructions chief minister issues to collectors, other district officials along with state officials in a video conference he addressed from his camp office in Vijayawada. The state government has already declared the October 13-21 official celebration. Though not region specific festivals, Sankranti and Dasara had been celebrated as state festival last year. The Kodandarama temple in Ontimitta, Kadapa, had become the Bhadrachalam of Andhra Pradesh. Naidu has launched a tradition of the celebrating Srirama Navami festival this year.

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Chandrababu to felicitate farmers of 29 villages

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Chandrababu to felicitate farmers of 29 villages

It is a known fact that hundreds of farmers belonging to different villages in Guntur district have donated their cultivation lands for the new capital of Andhra Pradesh, Amaravathi. Though all the opposition parties are protesting against the government for grabbing lands from farmers forcibly, the chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu feels that the farmers should get their due respect.

If the sources are to be believed, the CM in a recent review meeting decided to felicitate all the farmers of 29 villages who have sacrificed their lands for capital region.

This felicitation ceremony will be held in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 22 at the massive foundation laying ceremony.

Babu and his cabinet is all set to make the ceremony a big success and working real hard to make it a historic event.

The CM himself is monitoring all the arrangements and is calling for regular review meetings with CRDA officials and his cabinet colleagues.

According to sources, Babu has formed four committees namely Organising Committee, Reception Committee, Venue Committee and Cultural/Media Committee to take care of all the arrangements of this state event.

He made party MPs, legislators and other officials to head these committees.

The CM has already invited many national and international personalities to this ceremony.

Telugu360 is always open for the best and bright journalists. If you are interested in full-time or freelance, email us at Krishna@telugu360.com.

Wizcraft bags Amaravati show for Rs 9.5 cr

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Wizcraft bags Amaravati show for Rs 9.5 cr

Global communication and entertainment company Wizcraft, has bagged the contract for organizing the foundation stone laying ceremony of Andhra Pradesh capital city Amaravati on October 22. Sources in the Municipal Administration minister P Narayana office confirmed the news that Wizcraft has been shortlisted as event management agency for the spectacular program on Vijayadasami day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to lay the foundation stone for the emerging world-class city. “This much I can tell that Wizcraft has been selected to organize the even on a massive scale,” sources said refusing to elaborate on the meeting. Attempting contact the minister Narayana did not fructify as he was busy in a program in the School of Planning in Vijayawada. According to our information the Wizcraft has bagged bid for Rs 9.5 crore via public tender process.

Established in 1988, Wizcraft has to its credit the organization of events for over 500 of the largest Multinational and Corporate Houses across the world including Microsoft, IBM, Compaq, Samsung, Coca Cola, Pepsi, Sony Entertainment Television, IDEA Cellular, Zee TV, MTV, Bacardi, Gillette, Audi, Standard Chartered, Nokia, Cognizant Technologies and Wipro.

The assignment includes the creation of awareness among the people of Andhra Pradesh about the capital city, creation sense of belonging among the people, and organizing the foundation stone laying in a memorable way, seating arrangement for about 50,000 people and about a 1000 VIPs etc. All opposition parties are critical of the scale of the event by engaging an agency spending crores of taxpayers money.

Some of the events Wizcraft organized in the past.

* Wizcraft executed the 32nd National Games opening and closing ceremonies followed by the opening and closing ceremonies of Afro – Asian Games.

* Wizcraft organized the 50 years of Indian Independence Celebrations. India’s most celebrated music concert, The Michael Jackson Concert was organized by Wizcraft.

* Wizcraft conceptualized and organized the Opening and Closing Ceremony of the 19th Commonwealth Games.

* Wizcraft created a buzz the world over with the Opening Ceremony of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 in Dhaka, Bangladesh and MODI Australia trip event called HannoverMesse

Telugu360 is always open for the best and bright journalists. If you are interested in full-time or freelance, email us at Krishna@telugu360.com.

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