YSRCP stages protest over alleged Visakhapatnam Port pollution

Members of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), led by former MLA Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar, staged a protest at Jagadamba Junction on Friday, demanding immediate measures to curb pollution allegedly caused by the Visakhapatnam Port. The party alleged that residents in nearby localities faced serious health hazards from port operations.

As part of the protest, several party workers walked on their knees, while others appeared in wheelchairs wearing oxygen masks and displaying mock exposed lungs to depict patients suffering from severe respiratory ailments. Protesters also carried garlanded photographs representing people they claimed had died due to pollution and held placards demanding immediate government intervention.

Addressing the gathering, Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar criticised the state government, alleging that it had failed to address the pollution issue despite repeated appeals. He also accused Forests and Environment Minister K. Pawan Kalyan of failing to take adequate steps to resolve the problem.

The former MLA said the issue had been neglected since the NDA government assumed office. He claimed that residents of Kotaveedhi, the Lakshmi Talkies area, Kobbarithota, Prasad Gardens, Ambedkar Colony, Bhupesh Nagar, Lakshmidevipeta, Allipuram, Gnanapuram, and several other localities were being exposed daily to severe pollution generated by port activities.

He further alleged that the Visakhapatnam Port was violating environmental norms by operating open stockyards, resulting in a significant increase in pollution levels in recent months. According to him, the deteriorating air quality poses a serious threat to the health of residents in the Visakhapatnam South constituency.