Opposition corporators feel ignored by GVMC officials

Visakhapatnam: Mayor G Hari Venkata Kumari unilaterally approved all the items without any discussion in Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) council meeting held here on Wednesday.

Initially, there was a war of words exchanged between the ruling YSRCP and Opposition corporators over TIDCO houses. Similarly, the Opposition leaders pointed out that the GVMC officials and leaders of the ruling party were not following the protocol as they allege that the objections raised by them were completely ignored during the meeting.

While the 16 points were approved amid the protests of the Opposition, the members of the ruling party gave their approval with applause.

The GVMC council was concluded under the chairmanship of the Mayor and with the guidance of GVMC Commissioner G Lakshmisha. Earlier, Visakhapatnam East constituency TDP MLA Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu demanded to return the DDs of the poor beneficiaries paid for TIDCO houses during the TDP regime.

The MLA alleged that till 2019, 43,844 persons submitted DDs for the allotment of TIDCO houses within the GVMC limits but as of now they did not get any house or the DD was not returned to them.

The TDP members demanded that the authorities concerned should disclose when the DDs will be issued and a special meeting should be arranged to resolve the long-pending issue. While replying to TIDCO houses issue, YSRCP floor leader Banala Srinivasa Rao said unfair decisions were taken during the TDP's regime. With this, heated arguments were exchanged between the TDP and YSRCP leaders. Displaying placards, the TDP leaders raised slogans against the ruling party.

Later, the Opposition parties staged a protest in front of the Mayor's podium saying that the attitude of the officials was unfair in terms of following the protocol. They also pointed out that the response given by the Mayor and the corporation Commissioner was not satisfactory. The TDP, CPI, CPM, BJP and Jana Sena corporators expressed dissatisfaction over the approval of points in the council meeting without any discussions. They wondered if the ruling party members were to approve the resolutions, then why should the Opposition corporators attend the council meeting at all?