The Andhra Pradesh cabinet on Thursday cleared a proposal to convert 1,412 hectares of Nallamala reserve forest into a YSR memorial park. The cabinet,under the chairmanship of Chief Minister K Rosaiah,cleared the proposal to develop the YSR Smriti Vanam at Nallakalva village at a cost of Rs 3.15 crore. It will be a unique monument in memory of the late chief minister. A memorial stupa will be built at the entrance to the proposed project while a 4.5-km trekking path will be built upto Pavuralagutta,the exact site of the Bell-430 crash, state Information Minister J Geeta Reddy said. A Nature Interpretation Study Centre would also be set up at the site at a cost of Rs 50 lakh and breeding centres for peacocks,elephants and other animals. We want to complete the project by September 2,2010, Reddy said.Environmentalists,however,are opposed to the memorial as the Nallamala reserve forest houses Rajiv Gandhi Tiger Reserve and several other sanctuaries.
