Miffed by TRS failures, Cong mulls massive stir

To lay siege to the Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation office as a mark of protest on June 4

Warangal: Piqued by the failures of the Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC) and the ruling party legislators in addressing public issues, the district Congress has planned a massive protest.

District Congress Committee president Naini Rajender Reddy told the press here on Sunday that the party workers, along with the common public, would lay siege to the corporation office in Warangal as a mark of protest on June 4.

He complained that the corporation had been troubling the residents in the city by collecting huge amounts in the form extra taxes.

“In the State capital Hyderabad, the apartment tax is Rs 30, but in Warangal, Rs 50 is being collected besides a separate garbage tax,” Rajender Reddy said.

Adding to the woes of the citizens who were already burdened with taxes, the corporation now imposed a new Vacant Land Tax (VLT).

The citizens were warned to pay the VLT now, else, they would have to pay the tax with arrears when they construct houses, Rajender Reddy complained.

The corporation which was collecting huge taxes had failed to ensure facilities accordingly.

The taxes collected from citizens must be used to improve infrastructure and ensure good roads and water facilities, however that was not happening, he rued.

The roads in several colonies were in bad condition and pipelines leakages were hampering drinking water supply.

Though the GWMC claimed to develop Warangal as a smart city, there was no proper garbage dumping yard. The household waste collected from colonies was dumped in the middle of the city, he noted.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao made tall promises to the city residents on constructing modern markets, parks, entertainment zones, underground drainage and many others. But all such promises were not fulfilled yet.

The same was the case with double-bedroom houses, the Congress leader said.

According to Deputy Chief Minister K Srihari, the government obtained all required sanctions and release of funds for a new RoB at Kazipet.

Nonetheless, there was no progress since foundation stone was laid for the bridge a few months ago, Rajender Reddy said.

He alleged that the ruling party corporators and MLAs were hindering development works by demanding commissions from contractors.

They were even preventing the contractors from submitting papers related to work tenders, he said.

He wanted Mayor N Narender and the MLAs to explain how the Rs 300 crore annually budgetary grant announced by the Chief Minister to the GWMC two years ago was spent.

The GWMC must reduce apartment tax, withdraw VLT and water tax, he demanded.

Rajender Reddy appealed the party workers and public to attend June 4 protest in large numbers.