The Hindu 05.02.2010
Mayor against property tax hike
Special Correspondent
| Says GHMC proposal will be placed before the council |
Steps will be taken to clear BPS applications by March 31
Promises to initiate action against violators of fire safety norms
Hyderabad: In a first major show of difference over the functioning of the GHMC, Mayor Banda Kartika Reddy, struck out against the proposed property tax hike. The Corporation might have sent proposals to government in this regard but she is not in favour of it.
This was indicated by Ms. Reddy at the “meet the press” programme organised by the Hyderabad Union of Journalists at Press Club here on Thursday.
Expressing reservations over the move, she felt there could be other ways of increasing the GHMC revenue without raising the property tax.
The defaulters could be brought under the tax net and the arrears could be collected effectively. “The proposal will be placed before the council and a decision taken”, she said.
In the same breath, Ms. Reddy also expressed disappointment over the slow pace of BPS-LRS and said steps would be taken to dispose off all pending applications by March 31.
Circle wise melas would be organised. She also agreed to consider extending the BPS.
At ease
Ms. Reddy carried off the hour long encounter with the media confidently. Even ticklish questions she fielded with ease. Was she in favour of united Andhra, separate Telangana or a union territory status for Hyderabad?
“Good question”, Ms. Reddy said and after a pause replied “no comments”.
Even a personal question about efforts to make her husband, Banda Chandra Reddy, as OSD, didn’t unnerve her.
“He is a politician in his own right. I may take his views but the decisions will be mine”, she shot back.
What about the reported differences between her and her deputy, Jaffar Husain Meraj?
“There is no such thing. We are like a family. In fact he calls me chellamma”, she remarked. But many a question on encroachments, traffic congestion and pollution drew the stock reply “I will take action”.
The Mayor refused to be drawn into the controversy about removal of religious structures from the middle of the roads. ‘Efforts will be taken to ease the traffic”, is all that she would say.
She promised stringent action against violators of fire safety norms. Schools, shopping malls, apartment complexes which are not conforming to the norms would be identified and legal notices served as per a time bound programme.
