Approval for the contstruction of a world-class memorial for the former chief minister Yeduguri Sandinti Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR) opposite
Prasads in Hyderabad was given by CM Rosaiah this weekend. The memorial will be built on a 3-acre plot, and will include a modern sculpure on Jalayagnam.
In addition, YSR's statues will also be erected on the 180 km outer ring road of Hyderabad.
Approval was also granted to the setting up of 2 other memorials - one at the crash site at Velugodu near Atmakur in Kurnool district, and another at Rajiv Knowledge Valley in Kadapa. All the memorials are set to be completed by September 2011, coinciding with YSR's second death-anniversary.
Acknowleding the concerns of environmentalists, the Municipal Administration Minister A Ramnarayana Reddy stated that all precautions wil be taken not to violate environment and forest guidelines in constructing the memorials.
On 2 September 2009, the helicopter carrying YSR went missing in the Nallamala forest area. It was founf crashed on top of Rudrakonda Hill, 40 nautical miles from Kurnool, on the morning of 3 September 2009. All 5 people aboard, including the pilot, were pronounced dead at the scene.
In other news, YSR's son Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy finished his 'Odarpu' Yatra at Khammam on Saturday, and reached Hyderabad on Sunday morning. Jagan had taken up the yatra to console families whose members died out of shock at the news of his father's death. According to TV reports, Jagan spent 170 hours among the public in the 9-day tour, consoling 96 families.