Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) activists staged a dharna in front of Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) main office protesting against hike in water and UGD charges here on Tuesday.
Addressing the gathering, CPI(M) city secretary Ch. Babu Rao said the opposition parties, including Telugu Desam Party (TDP), vehemently opposed the move when the corporation decided to hike water charges last year.
The TDP, which promised to relieve people from the burden of taxes, had conveniently ignored its electoral promises after coming to power. People were expecting that the council would annul the decisions on hike in water charges taken during the Special Officer rule, he said.
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The upward revision, Mr. Babu Rao said, was unfortunate. The hike would deprive people of their right to safe drinking water. The VMC de-linked the water services from property tax going against the rules. It was against the laid down procedures. The water service was one of the components in property tax, he said.
The VMC officials had steeply increased water charges last year when the elected council was not in vogue. Now, though there was an elected body, they haven’t bothered to place the proposals before the council, he pointed out.
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The CPI(M) leader later submitted a memorandum to Mayor Koneru Sridhar urging him to use his good offices and see that the increase was rolled back. The CPI(M) leaders also wanted the Mayor to place the issue before council and review the decisions taken by the Special Officer.