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.

The post GVMC Council Meeting Postponed Amid Calls for Mayor’s Resignation Over Alleged ₹25 Crore Scam appeared first on Vizag One.

Corporators have begun drafting proposals for the Council’s consideration next week. The tax for garbage collection, introduced by the YSRC government, faced strong public opposition, prompting the alliance to pledge its removal if they came to power.

Interestingly, YSRC floor leader Banala Satya Surya Srinivasa Rao has also submitted a petition to Mayor Golagani Hari Venkata Kumari, calling for the cancellation of the user charge. The mayor has agreed to include the issue in the meeting’s agenda, with a formal request to the state government to abolish the tax. If this is approved, the collection of ₹7.77 crore—₹7.05 crore from 587,910 residential properties and ₹69.83 lakh from 25,722 commercial properties—would cease.

The YSRC government had initially implemented the user charge under the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016, imposing fees of ₹120 per month for residential buildings, ₹60 for slum areas, and between ₹200 and ₹15,000 for commercial properties. Despite objections from TD and JS corporators, the proposal was passed in June 2021 due to the YSRC’s council majority. After public protests, collections were temporarily halted, but resumed under pressure.

Now, with the TD-led alliance in power, the GVMC has stopped collecting the charges, but the alliance leaders are set to introduce a resolution urging the state government to officially abolish the user charge system.

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