Vizianagaram
Only sea and sand would be left
If the districts are divided as per the Parliament Constituencies, Srikakulam district will have Ichapuram, Palasa, Pathapatnam, Tekkali, Narasannapeta, Amudalavalasa, and Srikakulam Assembly constituencies. The locals are agitated that nothing except sand and sea will be available in the district as Ichapuram, Palasa, Tekkali, Narasannapeta and most parts of the Srikakulam district fall in coastal areas. The developed areas like Rajam and Etcherla would be merged into Vizianagaram district. Palakonda, popularly known as the grain bowl and home to natural and forest resources, will go to Araku district. Under these circumstances, Srikakulam may lose out on development, and pushed into more backwardness.
Public representatives not focusing enough
Though there is a deputy chief minister, speaker of the Assembly, fisheries minister and senior public representatives from ruling and opposition parties, no one is concerned. Nobody is bothered about the public and they are only focusing on increasing their political influence and pointing fingers at each other. Many opine that the district is behind on development because of these selfish politicians.
Division should be on a geographical basis
Locals and intellectuals, especially the progressive people from Srikakulam district are hoping that the district delimitation be carried out based on the geographical and developmental basis and not on Parliamentary constituency basis. They are expressing concerns that if the delimitation is done based on Parliamentary constituencies, the places which are two kilometres away from Srikakulam might come under Vizianagaram district which is 50 kms away. In such a scenario, administrative convenience will be compromised without an iota of doubt.
It has to be seen how the government will take up delimitation of the district and what would be the response of people.
