Thotlakonda: Buddhists oppose land to health city

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Aug 29, 2012: Buddhists in north Andhra are up in arms over the department of tourism’s latest proposal to construct a traditional health city, Arogyadham, at Thotla-konda, where an archaeologically sensitive 3nd century BC Buddhist complex is located.

In a recent meeting with the tourism department’s top officials, the Union minister of state for HRD, Ms D. Purandeswari, reviewed the progress of the project which was taken up at a cost of Rs.50 crore on a 50-acre site at Thotlakonda.

Just a few months after state government backtracked on its allotment of 3 acres at Thotlakonda to the Indian Navy for laying a road, the tourism department’s latest proposal of allotment of 50 acres for tourism, has kicked up another controversy.

The Thotlakonda Buddhi-st complex located on a hillock overlooking the sea, 128 metres above sea level and about 15 km from the city, was the hub for the spread of Buddhism to Sri Lanka and South East Asian countries during the third century BC. It was discovered during an aerial survey by the Indian Navy in the 70s. Later, state government declared the entire hill as a protected monument through a GO on May 2, 1978. During his research between 2001 and 2003, an archaeologist working at the University of Michigan, US, Edward Lars Fogelin, discovered 134 sites connected to Buddhism in Andhra Pradesh, including a monastery at Thotlakonda.

“Our sentiments are attached to Thotlakonda. The entire hillock was already declared as archaeologically sensitive and a protected site under various provisions by state government. Tourism will ruin the entire place and also its sanctity,” All India Lay-Buddhist Organisation (AILBO), governing body member K.V. Ramana Rao told this newspaper.

Power cuts shock small units

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Aug 23: Reeling under severe power crisis and incurring heavy losses due to the exorbitant penalties levied on them for delay in their deliveries followed by a continuous power holiday since June, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have lost hopes of revival.

Tuesday’s announcement of extension of power holiday to one more day to the existing two, have added fuel to the fire of their woes.

“There was a crisis since September last year owing to the Sakalajanula Samme, but we had hoped that it would settle. Now, there is the announcement of a fresh three-day power holiday. We are not allowed to function normally,” said Visakha Autonagar Small Scale Industrialists Welfare Association president Ramakrishna Pratap Narappareddy.

There are around 600 micro, small and medium scale industry units being run in the district and all put together, they make a business turnover of Rs.200 crore per annum.

This year they have estimated a production loss of 40 per cent due to the continuous power crisis since last September when Singareni workers too joined the Sakalajanula Samme.

Around 20,000 workers, directly and indirectly, depend on these 600 units in the district. It is reliably learnt that layoffs have already started in most units with managements unable to pay wages.

Industrialists are seeking subsides from government to buy diesel generators as an alternate power supply method. A 63 kv diesel generator costs around Rs.8 lakh, and industrialists are seeking 60 per cent subsidy from government to buy the genset and also on fuel.

They are also suggesting setting up solar energy generation units as an alternative method to tide over the crisis to a certain extent.