Praja Vedika built by Naidu to be demolished: Jagan Mohan Reddy

Hyderabad, June 24: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has ordered the demolition of 'Praja Vedika', located adjacent to Leader of Opposition and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu's residence.

"If a common man constructs a building without permission, it will be demolished by the officers. Our government respect law and follow all the rules," said Jagan Mohan Reddy at Collectors' conference.

'Praja Vedika' (people's grievance cell) the structure was built by the AP Capital Region Development Authority at a cost of over Rs five crore, to be used essentially for official meetings by the Chief Minister.

The conferences of district Collectors are usually held here due to lack of alternative facilities in the new capital Amaravati.

Jagan added that he held the first Collector's Conference from the Praja Vedika just to showcase how corruption in prevailing in the State. Incidentally, former CM N Chandrababu Naidu had recently written a letter to the State Government seeking handing over of the Praja Vediak.

Having converted it into the TDP office, Naidu wrote to the Chief Minister on June 5, requesting that the premises be declared as "residence annex" of the Leader of the Opposition.

The previous TDP government built Praja Vedika, reportedly in violation of the National Green Tribunal orders that prohibited any permanent structures on the riverbed.

When in opposition, the YSR Congress had objected to the use of Praja Vedika for TDP activities, but to no avail.

Naidu's TDP suffered a severe drubbing at the hands of Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), which got the absolute majority in 175-member Assembly by winning 151 seats.