Avanthi Srinivas, erstwhile Praja Rajyam MLA from Bhimili Assembly constituency, on Tuesday, condemned TDP MLA Devineni Uma Maheshwara Rao for
alleging that irregularities had taken place in granting leases of Bhavani Island, which is located near Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada.
Talking to media persons at the Congress Legislature Party Office, Avanthi Srinivas said that Devineni Uma Maheshwara Rao was making baseless charges against Infrastructure Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao, to get "cheap publicity".
He said that Ganta Srinivasa Rao's firm, Pratyusha Associates Fishing Ltd., got the 53-year lease of the island from the state government, through an auction. He claimed that no violations were involved in granting the lease.
Deveneni had alleged that Bhavani Island was leased to Pratyusha Associates Fishing Ltd. at throwaway prices, and demanded a white paper from the government on the matter. He also demanded that the government cancel the lease and call for fresh global tenders.
Congress MLC Rurdraraju Padmaraju, PRP MLAs Katasani Ram Reddy, P Ramesh and Yellampalli Srinivas were also present. (INN)