Visakhapatnam’s Sharada Peetham chief Swarupananda Swamy’s proximity with the former chief minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy is well known. During Jagan’s regime his Peetham has almost enjoyed an official status. The officials in the present government are wondering about his multiple acts of obtaining unusual favours from the government.
They were shocked after finding that he was making all preparations to build a star hotel on the land given to him in Kothavalasa in the name of a boarding house. Recently a senior official visited this area and was shocked to find that everything was being prepared for the construction of a huge star hotel in the name of a boarding house.
It was found that an eight-storey boarding house is being prepared for construction as they do not give permission directly for a hotel. Permission has also been obtained for the construction of a multi-storied building. It is called a boarding house. It is learned that a revenue officer who came to know about this matter spoke to Peetha representatives on phone and cautioned him that they cannot build a star hotel.
“The (Jagan) government has given permission to use the land for income generation. In that case we can follow any way that brings income. What is the violation in this? Do you want to give yourself permission? Where is the justice?” he tried to express anger over that officer.
With this, the officer went through the file of permission orders given to the then Peetham. He found that in the beginning, the representatives of Sarada Peetham requested the then CCLA G. Saiprasad to give permission for revenue generation. He denied this. This happened in the first week of January this year.
However, Sai Prasad took leave in the second week of January. It was extended till the 25th of the same month. Then a junior officer was given the post of in-charge CCLA. Then the process went through the in-charge CCLA. On January 19, a letter was brought to the Collector and on the 20th, the file was sent to the government approving Peetham’s demand to allow them for revenue generation.
It was learned that after five days of this, Saiprasad came back after his leave and joined the job. A GO 47 was issued by the Revenue Department on 6th February this year. This Star Hotel was taken up in the 15 acres of land worth Rs 225 crores given to them in Kothavalasa in Bheemili mandal of Visakha district in 2021.
The land permission which was cancelled last week was originally given to propagate the principles of Sanatana Dharma in accordance with the teachings of Sri Shankaracharya, establish a Sanskrit school and promote Vedic education and Vedic culture among the people.