Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada   

VMC general body meet today

VIJAYAWADA: The general body meeting of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC), scheduled to be held on Saturday, is likely to be stormy as the corporation officials are poised to levy user charges on garbage lifting.

The officials have included the controversial subject once again in the agenda. The resolution was vehemently opposed in the earlier instances and heated arguments were witnessed in the meetings. The ruling Congress this time has dared to stir up hornet’s nest by giving a nod to include the proposal in the agenda, even as the opposition parties have already opposed it tooth and nail.

The officials are contemplating introducing the user charges in a phased manner beginning with hotels in the city. The hoteliers have already resisted the move and demanded a white paper on the operation and maintenance, and expenditure of garbage lifting in the city.

The meeting is likely to discuss some key issues like appointment of fire officers and constitution of new special committees. The State government issued orders paving the way for the corporation to constitute its own fire services wing to inspect buildings in the city. The government, through GO 61, allowed the VMC to depute the required staff from Andhra Pradesh Fire and Emergency Services Department. The corporation could appoint officers of the rank of regional fire officer, district fire officer and station fire officer for its fire services wing. The GO concerned would be placed before the general body for necessary action.

The term of special committees expired on February 2 this year. However, new committees could not be constituted in view the election code that was in vogue during the general elections. The general body is likely to elect new special committees at the meeting.

Swami Naidu, a deputy engineer in the VMC on deputation from the public health department, applied for study leave. As he was not a VMC employee, the corporation declined to pay the salary during his leave. However, the government issued a GO instructing the VMC to pay the salary from its coffers to him. This GO was placed before the general body for necessary action.

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