Port Blair, July 6: CPI (M) Port Blair City Area Committee organized corner meetings at various places of Port Blair town today as part of the campaign on various issues affecting the people living in the Port Blair urban area. Corner meetings were held at Garacharma, Bathubasti and Dollgyunj areas.

Speaking at these meetings, Shri D. Ayyappan, Secretary, CPI (M) A&N State Organising Committee criticized the central government for the steep increase in the prices of LPG cylinders, petrol and diesel over the last 8 years. He said that price of LPG cylinder was increased by Rs. 50 today also which is an additional burden on the people particularly those belonging to poorer sections.  Referring to the various failures of the BJP-ruled Port Blair Municipal Council over the years, Shri Ayyappan said that the PBMC has abnormally increased the property tax and demanded its withdrawal immediately.

Addressing the meetings, Shri D. Laxman Rao, State Secretariat Member of CPI (M) said that corruption is increasing in the PBMC and further said that labourers of the Council are being misused. 

Shri NKP Nair, CPI (M) Area Committee Member and Shri S. Surender, CPI (M) leader also addressed the corner meetings.  The issues highlighted during the campaign were (i) failure of PBMC to implement Smart City Mission Projects properly (ii) steep increase in the Property Tax by PBMC (iii) privatization of  sanitation work in the PBMC (iv) unhygienic condition of  Port Blair Municipal area (v) dilapidated Footpaths and Municipal Roads, (vi) Paid parking on  road sides, etc.