Bad roads, OTS scheme to come up for discussion at GVMC meet

Opposition parties to seek withdrawl of garbage tax

Repair works of roads, ward development funds, One Time Settlement (OTS) registration scheme, garbage collection taxes and a few other points are likely to come up for discussion at the fourth council meet of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) to be held on December 10. The GVMC has already prepared a 26-point agenda for the meeting.

Ahead of the council meeting, corporators from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) organised a meeting at the party office here on Tuesday. The meeting was headed by former MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao. TDP floor leader and corporator of Ward 96, Peela Srinivasa Rao, said that the council should hold discussion on OTS house registration scheme and how the GVMC’s shops and commercial establishments were reopened despite lease rents not being paid.The TDP is also likely to seek a discussion on bad condition of roads, TIDCO house allotment, apart from a few other issues in the GVMC limits.

The party leaders have also submitted a representation to the GVMC Commissioner G. Lakshmisha at his office on the issues.

Meanwhile, members of the CPI(M) demanded that the officials allot funds for taking up repair works of the damaged roads. Addressing the media on Tuesday, CPI(M) leader and Corporator of Ward 78, B. Ganga Rao, said that the condition of the city roads has gone worse and the corporation which promised to take up repair works in November should start them immediately.

He alleged that the GVMC has proposed ward development plan for development of all the zones, but funds are not being released.

The council is allotting most of the funds to Ward 6, as the corporator of that ward is the daughter of the Tourism Minister, he alleged. He said he would seek withdrawal of user charges for garbage collection from the citizens, in the coming meet.

Meanwhile, members of Visakhapatnam Apartment Resident Welfare Association (VARWA) also demanded that the GVMC scrap the decision to collect fee for garbage collection in this council meet. “We have met Mayor a couple of times regarding the issue. The VARWA also requested the GVMC to take up repair works for damaged roads in all the zones,” said General Secretary of VARWA, B.B. Ganesh.