Alliance corporators demand Mayor’s resignation

Visakhapatnam: The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation Council meeting, which began on Tuesday with heated arguments, was postponed to Wednesday. The meeting was adjourned once for 10 minutes when the alliance corporators demanded resignation of Mayor G Hari Venkata Kumari. The council was adjourned for the second time following a chaotic situation at the Mayor’s podium.

The meeting began with protests and YSRCP corporators held placards and raised slogans against the privatisation of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. The Left party members protested that the Dalits were neglected during the alliance rule as the government resulted in insulting them and attacking them.

They demanded action against Jana Sena Party MLA P Nanaji for attacking a medical college Dalit professor. The JSP corporators objected to it and an argument ensued between the two groups. The Left party corporators demanded a resolution against the privatisation of the VSP and merger with the SAIL. Similarly, they demanded that the items of property tax and user charges should be included in the table agenda.

Earlier, the newly elected members, including MLC Botcha Satyanarayana, Golla Baburao, Kumbha Ravibabu, Varudhu Kalyani and MLA P Vishnu Kumar Raju were honoured by the council. Many corporators expressed their views on streetlights which is a major problem in GVMC wards. MLA P Vishnu Kumar Raju also asked to focus on the issue of streetlights.

Discussing public issues, a number of corporators expressed the opinion that there is a need to increase the number of streetlights and their maintenance. BJP MLA Vishnu Kumar Raju also spoke on the issue of streetlights that the intensity of the lights on the beach road should be increased. The MLA requested that the community halls which were converted into secretariats have to be made available for the public again.

During the meeting, GVMC 93rd ward corporator Raparthi Kanna explained the financial irregularities in the previous government along with evidence. He pointed out how the sanitation workers’ money was misused. He demanded strict action against those involved in the scam. Responding to that, GVMC Commissioner P Sampath Kumar said that a thorough investigation would be launched and action will be taken against those responsible. Alleging large scale corruption in the GVMC during the YSRCP’s tenure, the alliance corporators demanded resignation of Mayor G Hari Venkata Kumari.

Raising their voice during the GVMC council meeting which was held for the first time after the formation of the new government here on Tuesday, they called for a detailed investigation into the irregularities reported into the decisions made during the previous government.

The corporators approached the Mayor’s podium and raised slogans surrounding it. Heated arguments were exchanged between the YSRCP and alliance corporators.