VISAKHAPATNAM: The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) demolished an unauthorized structure located in the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) I area of Bheemunipatnam Beach, following a directive from the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
The court's order came in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Jana Sena corporator PLVN Murthy Yadav, which highlighted illegal construction activities within the CRZ-I zone of the beach. The PIL requested judicial intervention to halt the construction and restore the natural habitat.
The construction, situated in ward number 3 of Bheemunipatnam town, was found to violate environmental regulations.
The issue began with a provisional notice issued by GVMC to M/s Avyaan Relators LLP on April 6, 2024, regarding the unauthorized erection of permanent concrete structures without the required permission or No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Coastal Zone Management authorities. Despite receiving confirmation of the notice on July 18, 2024, the company did not comply.
Following this, Penaka Neha Reddy, daughter of YSRC Rajya Sabha MP Vijayasai Reddy, filed a writ petition contesting the GVMC's confirmation order. The court stressed that action would be taken against those who did not adhere to GVMC’s notices.
In line with the court's directive, GVMC instructed Avyaan Relators to dismantle the unauthorized structures within 24 hours of receiving the notice. Upon non-compliance, GVMC proceeded with the demolition on Wednesday and will seek to recover the costs from the company in accordance with the APMC Act.