MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao Urges Immediate Action on Simhachalam Land Issue in Assembly
Visakhapatnam: Bheemili MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao has vocally raised the long-pending land issue concerning the Pancha Gramams (five villages) of Simhachalam Devasthanam in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly. He described this matter as an election agenda that has persisted unresolved for over three decades, calling for urgent steps to prevent historical condemnation.
Details of the Pancha Gramams Villages
The five villages at the heart of this protracted dispute are Adavivaram, Vepagunta, Cheemalapalli, Venkatapuram, and Purushottampuram. Ganta emphasized that society itself is a temple and the poor are gods, yet ironically, the temple has become a source of hardship for these communities. He warned that history would not forgive if the issue remains unaddressed within a fixed timeframe.
Government Support and Unfulfilled Promises
Despite receiving support from the government, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, and trust board chairman Ashok Gajapathi Raju, the regularization of these lands has not been achieved. Ganta questioned why the resolution is stalled under the pretext of pending court cases, urging the advocate general to actively find a legal solution.
He recalled that Naidu had earlier appointed a House Committee in 1996, issued Government Order (GO) 578 in 2000, and GO 229 in 2019 to address the matter. However, progress has been inconsistent across administrations.
Historical Context and Political Commitments
Ganta highlighted that former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, during his tenure, promised free regularization of the lands but failed to deliver on this commitment. Earlier, Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy lifted GO 578 after coming to power in 2004, further complicating the issue.
In a significant development in 2014, Chandrababu Naidu announced the resolution of the issue in the first cabinet meeting held at Andhra University. This plan agreed to regularize 12,149 structures and allocate 610 acres of land, valued at over ₹5,000 crore, to Simhachalam Devasthanam. The revenues generated from this regularization were intended to be directed to the temple trust, aiming to benefit both the institution and the affected residents.
Call for Accountability and Resolution
The MLA's appeal underscores a critical need for accountability and decisive action. With the issue dragging on for generations, affecting thousands of families, Ganta's intervention in the Assembly seeks to reignite efforts toward a fair and permanent solution, ensuring that the temple's assets serve the community as intended.
