YSRCP supporters staging a protest by kneeling on the road depicting the hardships of the residents due to caused by Visakhapatnam Port at Jagadamba Junction in Visakhapatnam on Friday.
| Photo Credit: K.R. DEEPAK
Members of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) led by former MLA Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar on Friday staged a symbolic protest at Jagadamba Junction in Visakhapatnam, demanding immediate measures to curb pollution from the Visakhapatnam Port (VPT). They claimed that the residents in nearby areas are facing severe health hazards.As part of the demonstration, party workers walked on their knees, while a few participants, seated in wheelchairs and wearing oxygen masks with mock exposed lungs, portrayed patients suffering from severe respiratory ailments to highlight the alleged health impact of port pollution.Protesters also held framed photographs adorned with garlands, symbolising victims they claimed had died due to pollution. They also held placards against the VPT and demanded immediate government intervention.Hits out at govt.The supporters of the Opposition party, along with the former YSRCP MLA, criticised the State government, claiming that Forests and Environment Minister K. Pawan Kalyan has failed to address the issue.Accusing the NDA government of neglecting the port pollution issue after coming to power, the YSRCP South Constituency coordinator said that people residing in areas such as Kotaveedhi, Lakshmi Talkies area, Kobbarithota, Prasad Gardens, Ambedkar Colony, Bhupesh Nagar, Lakshmidevipeta, Allipuram, Gnanapuram and a few other areas were facing severe hardship every day due to pollution generated by port operations.Alleging that the VPT was violating environmental norms by maintaining open stockyards, the former YSRCP MLA claimed that pollution levels had increased significantly in recent months, posing a serious threat to residents of the Visakhapatnam South constituency. Published - July 03, 2026 07:35 pm IST
