An expert committee appointed by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests is inspecting constructions on Rushikonda as ordered by the High Court. The inspections are in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in the High Court, claiming that excavations and constructions were done without proper permissions. The central committee arrived in Visakhapatnam on Thursday to conduct the inspections. Another expert committee appointed by the High Court had already submitted a report, based on which the High Court directed the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to address any violations of rules. However, new allegations were brought before the court, leading to the appointment of the current committee. The committee is being provided with necessary arrangements and information by GVMC officials.
The PIL filed in the High Court stated that the constructions by the Tourism Department on Rushikonda exceeded the permitted limit and did not comply with Coastal Regulation provisions. The expert committee from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, appointed for the second time, visited Rushikonda on Thursday to investigate the matter. The committee members from various organizations inspected the structures being constructed by the Tourism Department. They inquired about construction details and observed areas where soil was dumped. The APTDC and GVMC officials provided all necessary information to the committee.
In 2022, the Andhra Pradesh High Court ordered the formation of a committee to investigate allegations of rule violations in Rushikonda. Following a joint examination, a five-member committee conducted a survey and submitted a report to the court.
