KADAPA: A dispute over garbage collection in Kadapa Municipal Corporation (KMC) has ignited a major political clash between the YSRC and the TDP. On Tuesday, tensions escalated when TDP workers, led by Telugu Nadu Students Federation (TNSF) president Tirumalesh, dumped garbage in the courtyard of Kadapa Mayor K Suresh Babu’s residence.
The conflict began when residents and TDP members complained to Kadapa MLA Reddeppagari Madhavi Reddy about accumulated garbage in their neighbourhoods. In response, the MLA suggested that if the corporation fails to collect garbage, dump garbage in front of the Mayor and local corporators’ residences. Acting on this suggestion, TDP activists gathered at the Mayor’s residence in Chinnachowk’s Manasa Kalyana Mandapam area and dumped garbage.
They lambasted the Mayor and the corporation for neglecting sanitation, which they claimed had led to a surge in spread of diseases. They accused the corporation of failing to collect garbage despite collecting taxes. They alleged that the corporation had reduced the number of garbage collection vehicles.
In response, the YSRC workers and corporators rushed to the Mayor’s house, resulting in a standoff. Police, led by Chinnachowk SIs Rajarajeswar Reddy and Ravi Kumar, intervened to prevent further escalation.
Following the incident, Mayor Suresh Babu and YSRC supporters staged a protested in front of the Chinnachowk PS, demanding the arrest of the TDP leaders responsible for dumping garbage at Mayor’s house. He condemned the TDP’s actions and expressed anger over the incident.
While the YSRC controls the KMC, the TDP has accused the civic body of mismanaging sanitation in the city. MLA Madhavi Reddy said the government had promised to abolish garbage taxes and that the corporation should bear the costs of garbage collection. She criticised the Mayor for politicising the issue and failing to provide effective leadership.
The Mayor dismissed the TDP’s allegations and accused the MLA of causing unrest. He emphasised that the KMC is managing garbage collection to the best of its ability.
