*Massive Corruption of Tree scam in Nellore*

Nellore, April 20: Former Minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy and YSRCP MLC Parvathareddy Chandrasekhar Reddy stated a  large-scale corruption in Nellore Municipal Corporation under the leadership of Minister P. Narayana, accusing TDP leaders of looting public funds in the name of tree plantation and school development works. Addressing the media at the YSRCP office in Nellore, they said Rs. 5,000 is being spent to plant each sapling and Rs. 12,000 for its maintenance, leading to massive misuse of corporation funds. When questioned with evidence, they alleged that the government is evading accountability by claiming the funds are from CSR sources, while also resorting to personal attacks and threats to silence critics.

They revealed that in the 11th and 13th divisions, work orders worth Rs. 50 lakh each were issued for planting 1,000 trees, and in the 14th division, Rs. 1.24 crore was allocated for maintaining 1,800 trees, clearly indicating inflated costs. They questioned how such expenditures are being approved without Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), that even CSR funds must follow due process, including deposit into the Collector’s account and proper scrutiny before release. The leaders stated that instead of transparency, authorities are giving contradictory explanations, with different figures being quoted by the minister, officials, and TDP leaders, exposing what they termed as a deliberate financial manipulation.

They further stated that similar irregularities were attempted in the renovation of VR High School, where initially CSR funds of Rs. 15 crore were promised, but later efforts were made to divert Rs. 10 crore from corporation funds. They claimed that inflated estimates, including Rs. 50 lakh per school vehicle, point to a larger financial conspiracy, and that the minister backtracked only after being questioned. The leaders said that despite presenting detailed evidence on division-wise works, contractors, and funds released, the government is avoiding answers and instead intimidating those who question it. They demanded full transparency on the use of public tax money and CSR funds, warning that such large-scale irregularities in the name of public works would not withstand scrutiny in any future investigation.