The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) council meeting scheduled for Tuesday was postponed following intense protests from Alliance corporators demanding the resignation of Mayor Hari Venkata Kumari. The disruptions began when Ward 93 Corporator Raparthi Trivenivara Prasad Rao accused the mayor of obstructing an investigation into a multi-crore misappropriation scandal within the civic body, claiming that she had accepted a bribe to thwart the probe.
Prasad alleged that the mayor, along with former municipal commissioner Sai Kanth Varma and other officials, had shared the spoils from the ₹25 crore scam. According to him, a GVMC official involved in the misappropriation had paid bribes to the mayor and others to prevent an inquiry from moving forward. The scandal reportedly involved the diversion of ₹4 crore, which had been earmarked for sanitation staff over a three-year period under the Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas (MEPMA).
The issue first came to light a few months ago when a YSRC leader exposed the alleged corruption. Prasad questioned why no inquiry had been conducted, demanding accountability from the civic authorities. He also called for the immediate resignation of the mayor, stating that she should step down to allow for a fair investigation. “She can be reinstated if proven innocent,” he added.
Tensions escalated during the council session as YSRC floor leader Srinivasa Rao, deputy mayor Satish, and NDA corporators engaged in heated debates. As the protests grew louder, Mayor Kumari initially adjourned the meeting for 10 minutes, but the disruption continued. After an hour-long recess failed to calm the situation, the mayor ultimately announced the adjournment of the meeting, postponing the session to Wednesday.
The allegations of corruption and mismanagement have cast a shadow over GVMC, with demands for transparency and accountability growing louder. As the council prepares to reconvene, all eyes are on whether the mayor will address the accusations and allow an inquiry into the alleged misappropriation of public funds.
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