Members of the CPI(M) staged a protest alleging that the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has been harassing citizens by threatening to impose additional penalties on households which do not have a house plan.
Speaking at the protest near the GVMC office here on Friday, CPI(M) leader and corporator of Ward 78, B. Gangarao, said that the GVMC council had already passed a resolution regarding the of levying property tax based on the capital/market value. The GVMC is now sending ward volunteers and asking the households to show the plan. If there is no plan, the volunteers are threatening that huge penalty may be imposed, he said.
He said that there are about 5.42 lakh households in Visakhapatnam, out of which two lakh households do not have plans. Most of such houses are located in slums or houses that are constructed in less than 100 sq.yards or houses that have been constructed 30 to 40 years ago, he said. Already people are being bothered by various taxes on property and garbage and now, imposing additional penalties is completely unfair, he added
He also said that the GVMC should take up this issue in the council meet and discuss about it.
