The council meeting of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation on Saturday witnessed protests by the opposition parties over implementation of the new property tax system and the State government’s One-Time Settlement (OTS) scheme for registration of houses.
CPI(M) leaders Ch. Babu Rao, Gade Adilakshmi and others attempted to lay a siege to the VMC office in protest against hike in property tax and imposition of user charges on garbage collection. The TDP corporators also staged protests on the VMC premises against the OTS scheme.
Mr. Babu Rao, who was arrested along with other leaders and activists, said the government succumbed to the pressure mounted by the Central government, which, for the first time, imposed user charges on every household for garbage collection.
He said the decision of the governments was burdening the urban local bodies and the residents.
CPI corporator B. Satya Babu opposed the new tax system. He demanded that the civic body should not implement G.O. 198 until the court’s gives its verdict.
The TDP corporators also opposed the new tax system based on capital value of the property and OTS scheme.
YSRCP MLA representing Vijayawada Central Malladi Vishnu came down heavily on the opposition parties for obstructing the council proceedings.
While addressing reporters outside the council, he said the TDP’s only aim was to ensure that the welfare schemes did not reach the poor.
The council, chaired by Mayor Rayana Bhagyalakshmi, passed several resolutions proposed by the members during the meeting.
