Visakhapatnam: JSP corporator alleges misuse of funds in the name of 2nd G-20

Visakhapatnam: Jana Sena Party (JSP) corporator Peethala Murthy Yadav alleged that the officials of Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) have misused crores of public money in the garb of the Second G20 Infrastructure Working Group Meeting. Speaking to the media near Tenneti Park on Thursday, he said that the work which usually costs Rs 10 was shown as Rs 1,000 and works were allotted calling for short tenders. He alleged that the old roads and paints were also added in the new road works list to loot crores of rupees.

The JSP corporator raised an objection over the GVMC officials for misusing the opportunity of beautifying Visakhapatnam in the pretext of enhancing infrastructure for the Second G20 Infrastructure Working Group (IWG) Meeting. GVMC officials misused the money spent on painting works done near Tenneti Park and Seetha Konda on the beach road is just a small example for the level of corruption involved, alleged Murthy Yadav.

While the GVMC officials called tenders for general painting work at these two places for Rs 30 lakh, the corporator opined that only Rs 2 lakh was enough for these projects. Further, the GVMC corporator alleged that GVMC, which spent Rs 500 per metre for painting in other parts of the city, had spent Rs 1.5 lakh per metre for painting works at Tenneti Park. He pointed out that Rs 12 lakh was spent on just eight paintings at Tenneti Park and Rs 16 lakh for five images near Seetha Konda.

Murthy Yadav demanded that a third party audit and ACB inquiry should be carried out on all these works to expose irregularities and corruption involved and action should be taken against the respective officials. He opined that it was not appropriate to insult Mayor G Hari Venkata Kumari by denying invitation for her to attend the G20 Summit held in Visakhapatnam wherein the state government was using the funds and services of the GVMC.

The JSP corporator demanded that a white paper be released within a week on the expenses incurred in the name of Global Investors Summit and the second G20 IWG works. Later, the JSP leaders briefed the media about the misuse of funds by showing the paintings at Tenneti Park. JSP leaders Pesala Srinu, B Ravi Kumar, Chinnababu, Rupa and Peethala Raju participated in the meeting.