Irked with the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) raising objections over security for its naval alternative operations base (NAOB) coming up at Rambilli for the proposed major port at Nakkapalli which comes within 15 km radius of NAOB, locals are readying strategies to bring pressure on government that the port be set up there. They are now worried that the port may be shifted to any of the two other places in the state, Duggirajapatnam and Ramayapatnam that a central team visited recently.
There are reports that Isro and defence officials reportedly raised security concerns as SHAR is near Duggirajapatnam and Nakkapalli is close to NAOB; Ramayapatnam in Prakasm is likely be finalised.
Infrastructure minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao recently held a meeting with naval authorities and persuaded them not to object to major port as it will help boost the economy in view of the proposed PCPIR planned between Kakinada and Visakhapatnam.
“We don’t want to lose the port. Very soon we are going to hold a meeting with all MLAs and other public representatives to plan strategies of bringing pressure on the union government and defence ministry not to object to the proposal,” Elamanchali MLA U.V. Ramana Murthy Raju (Kannababu) told this newspaper. He also added that very soon, they would be meeting Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and Union minister of state for defence, M.M. Pallam Raju on the issue.
-via Deccan Chronicle.
