Tax Hike: APUCF to protest at secretariats on December 28, 29

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Urban Citizens Federation (APUCF) will organise demonstrations in front of the ward and village secretariats throughout the state on December 28 and 29 to mark their protest against the municipal laws that would enable the urban local bodies to impose house tax based on the property value and also to enhance garbage tax, drinking water tax and underground drainage tax in the name of user charges.

APUCF convenor Ch Babu Rao appealed to the local citizens associations, colony and apartment welfare bodies and trade and commerce associations to participate in the protest demonstrations through the respective joint action committees.

Recalling the amendment to the municipal laws made by the Assembly in the recent session, Babu Rao said that it was a unilateral decision and the taxes were raised without any discussion on the issue. The house tax would be decided basing on the latest property value of the land as per the amendment.

He said that the state government is imposing the latest taxes at the behest of the Central government. The state government had also issued GOs 196, 197 and 198 and later amended the municipal laws to impose user charges on garbage collection, drinking water supply, and underground drainage.

Babu Rao alleged that the state government was misleading people by stating that the increase in taxes would be only 15 per cent.