By Desaraju Surya
AMARAVATI: It is a triumphant moment for the state government in general and the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority in particular as the World Bank decided not to pursue the various complaints against the construction of the capital city Amaravati.
The many complaints, instigated by the opposition YSR Congress party since 2016 against Amaravati, stood as a stumbling block in the development of the greenfield capital city.
Some others also joined the melee and petitioned the World Bank, a major lender for the capital city project, on different issues in an ostensible bid to prevent the development.
The allegations included land pooling through coercion; that Amaravati region is flood-prone and quake-prone, loss of ecological balance and the like. But now none of the allegations stood scrutiny.
An independent inspection panel of the WorldBank has now decided not to investigate these complaints, implying that they lacked merit.
The Grievance Evaluation Committee has decided to close the case and, accordingly, communicated the matter to the Chandrababu Naidu government.
This clears the ground for the unhindered development of the capital city.
The World Bank committee “expressed satisfaction” over the efforts of the state government and the APCRDA in maintaining ecological balance in the region and also the various other measures to ensure Amaravati is built as a sustainable city in all respects.
The previous Commissioner of APCRDA, Katamneni Bhaskar, and his team put in excellent efforts and made a strong case for Amaravati.
Bhaskar submitted the “key safeguard documents” like the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF), Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), Environmental Management Plans (EMPs) and the Resettlement Action Plans (RAPs) to the World Bank.
These documents, related to proposed interventions like priority roads, upgradation of village infrastructure and flood mitigation works, were aligned with the World Bank’s Operational Policies.
The Amaravati Capital City Master Plan sought to integrate environmental and social effects to create a balanced, sustainable and inclusive city. This is aimed at balancing urbanisation with sustainability, economic growth and cultural preservation, thereby ensuring a high quality of life for citizens while protecting the natural ecosystems.
Impressed by these efforts, the World Bank decided not to pursue the various complaints against Amaravati and closed the case.
The World Bank decision is a major loss of face to the YSRC as it only spewed venom on Amaravati and tried to sabotage the project.
Very well written pieces dear Surya! Your articles offer good insight into the matters pertaining to AP! Moreover.. a large section of the Media in AP (which is sharply divided between the ruling NDA and the opposition YSRCP) is not giving any such News like you, which makes them even more interesting!
Good Job & Keep it up! 👌🏼👍🏼