Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) leader and Ward 78 corporator B. Ganga Rao took up a 24-hour hunger strike protesting the implementation of the new property tax plan, based on capital value of property, at Gandhi Statue near the GVMC building in the city on Wednesday.
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During the protest, Mr. Ganga Rao demanded cancellation of the council meet scheduled for August 7 to discuss the new property tax rules. He said that the meet is being conducted in an undemocratic manner.
The GVMC has received around 9,200 responses over the new property tax regime, in which it was proposed to levy charges as per the capital value. Apart from the 9,200 responses, the corporation has also received over 15,000 signed representations from people, political representatives, and resident welfare association members. However, the GVMC has not taken them into consideration, he said.
Mr. Ganga Rao also alleged that after receiving the responses, the GVMC should compile all of them and submit an understanding on the type of responses to the council members in the agenda. This has to happen before seven days of the council meet, but it has not happened till now, he complained. The CPI(M) leader also alleged that it is evident that the officials want to pass the property tax agenda without even considering the resistance from people.
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“During the last council meet, corporators from YSRCP have voted in favour of the user charges for garbage collection. Keeping in view the public who have voted for them, the YSRCP corporators should stand against the new property tax regime. If they again support it, this could lead to a serious burden on public, who are already reeling under financial distress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
All the floor leaders from various parties are expected to attend the protest during the concluding ceremony.