Coastal corridor Proposals sent to Chief Minister

RAJAHMUNDRY: The National Environmental Appraisal Committee (NEAC) and National Technical Advisory Group NTAG), have submitted their recommendations to Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy on the proposed Coastal Corridor between Kakinada and Visakhapatnam.

Speaking to reporters at the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies UPES) here on Friday, member of the group Dr RV Rama Rao, said the Government had entrusted the remaining work to Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC).

"We have recommended to the Government to form at least two mandals with five or four fishermen villages in the four districts for their uplift on all fronts. The funds could be directly spent on them," he said.

The Government should take steps for the welfare of the people as well as fisherman community affected by the construction of the proposed corrdior, he said.

The corridor would come up within the limits of East Godavari, Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam, at a cost of Rs 81,000 crore. Brushing aside the apprehensions about the coastal corridor, he said: "There will be no problem to the people of this area," he opinied.

Earlier, participating in a seminar conducted on Oil and Gas here on Friday, he said there were abundant opportunities in the field of oil and gas sector across the world. The offshore search for oil and gas was receving a great impetus from the exploration and development programme being taken up by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation and CAIRN companies, he said.

To protect the environment and the flora and fauna during the drilling operations, and safeguard people he suggeted the establishment of an oil spill response unit. To ward off threat posed to offshore installations from terrorist groups, he said, the Defence Ministry had established a special command FODAG.

GAIL general manager Narendra Kumar, UPES dean Doctor BP Pandey, centre director Dr KV Mohan Rao, seminar convenor Professor KV Rao and several others were participated in the seminar.