People told to oppose water tax

Vijayawada: Former mayor T Venkateswara Rao called upon the people to oppose the proposed water tax. He visited the one-day hunger strike staged by the Communist Party of India (CPI) former corporators at Tummalapalli Kalakshetram here on Tuesday against water tax. Speaking on the occasion, Venkateswara Rao found fault with the municipal corporation officials proposing water tax when there was no elected council. He said that the special officer of the municipal corporation had no right to impose water taxes in the city. He further said that the government has failed to conduct elections to the local bodies even though the elected council's tenure had expired three years ago. He alleged that the government was violating the Constitution. He wondered how the municipal officials have taken U turn on expenditure on water supply. He stated that the corporation had showed income from water supply at Rs 58 crore and expenditure at Rs 20 crore earlier. The same officials were now saying that the corporation was spending Rs 20 crore on water supply and the income was only Rs 8 crore. He asked the citizens to unite and fight against the proposed water tax. A CPI city secretary Donepudi Shankar said that the corporation was only concentrating on collecting taxes instead of demanding pending funds due from the State government. He alleged that the city legislators were protecting self interests and neglecting the city development.CPI senior leader former legislator K Subba Raju wondered how the corporation has proposed water tax though River Krishna flows through the city. CPI Krishna district unit secretary Akkineni Vanaja, former legislator Nasarvali, Industrialist Muttavarpu Murali Krishna, K Pattabhi Ram, Nagamotu Raja, Velampalli Ramachandra Rao and several CPI leaders were also present.A Former mayor Lanka Govindarajulu, former corporatros P Durga Bhavani, Izaada Lakshmi, Appala Naidu, T Das, Butti Rayappa, T Durga and Ch Prakasamma were took part in hunger strike.