Even as the ruling YSR Congress is celebrating the grant of a bulk drug park for the State by the Central government, the opposition TDP had raised objections to it. TDP senior leader and former finance minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu wrote a letter to the Central government protesting against the proposed bulk drug park on the ground that it would pollute the Kakinada district.

The central government had allocated the bulk drug park for the state in the heavy competition. Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have lobbied for the park, while the Centre allocated it to Andhra Pradesh, based on the letter of interests given by the respective states.

The Central government had proposed three bulk drug parks in the country of which, the south park will come up in Andhra Pradesh. The other two parks were given to Maharashtra and Gujarat States respectively.

In Andhra Pradesh, the park will come up in the Kakinada Special Economic Zone between Kotha Perumalla Puram and Kodada villages of Thondangi mandal in Kakinada district. The project would be established in 2,000 acres of land.

The state government said that it would provide opportunities for global investors in the pharmaceutical industry. As the drug manufacturing industries set up their units here, the local people would get employment, the state government said.

However, the TDP leader alleged that the waste released from these drug manufacturing units would pollute the water, air and damage the environment. Yanamala Ramakrishnudu further feared that the park would also cause several health disorders for both people and animals in the area.

The TDP leader wrote a letter to the Central government’s chemicals and fertilisers ministry secretary asking him to withdraw the proposal.

The ruling YSR Congress raised strong objections to Yanamala Ramakrishnudu’s letter and alleged that the TDP was against development of the state.