AP: Privatisation of Mudasarlova opposed

Former Secretary to the union Government, EAS Sarma, has urged the State government's intervention to stop privatisation of Mudasarlova

Visakhapatnam: Former Secretary to the union Government, EAS Sarma, has urged the State government’s intervention to stop privatisation of Mudasarlova and stop construction of unnecessary structures there.

In a letter addressed to the Chief Secretary K.S. Jawahar Reddy here on Thursday, he said that government, instead, should ask Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) to unclog the water inflow channels around Mudasarlova, improve its catchment and monitor the water quality regularly.

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Referring to reports that the GVMC is in the process of issuing contracts for private management of Mudasarlova Park along with the reservoir area, for which the Corporation is spending crores of rupees to construct an expensive wall all around, he said that it was highly objectionable, as private agencies merely profiteer at the expense of the people of Vizag, without adding any value or without improving service to the public.

“Some of us, along with Dr Rajendra Singh, well-known for his water campaigns in Rajasthan and elsewhere, had gone around the reservoir a few years ago, found that more than seven water streams that bring water into the reservoir were clogged and heavily polluted, as a result of GVMC’s deliberate neglect and suggested several ways and means to GVMC to restore the reservoir to its original state and full capacity.

Apparently the present management is blissfully ignorant of it and is taking unilateral decisions, supported by some corporators belonging to the majority political party, to introduce private contractors, which will necessarily place an additional burden on the Vizag public. This is unacceptable,” he noted.

Dr. Sarma pointed out that GVMC has an elaborate engineering wing to look after Mudasarlova and their salaries are paid out of the taxes paid by the people. “Instead of putting them to optimal use for maintaining Mudasarlova, GVMC is unfortunately outsourcing its own responsibilities to private persons. The day is perhaps not far off when the State government will “privatise” GVMC itself!,” he feared.

He also said that it was unfortunate that the elected body of the GVMC should ignore the feelings of the public and act independently, at the behest of their political masters, to provide opportunities to contractors to earn profits at the cost of the public.