Illegal buildings: PR staff in soup

Hyderabad: Nineteen officials from the panchayat raj department and Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) are likely to be axed for encouraging illegal constructions in Manikonda and Narsingi limits on the city’s outskirts.

The Lokayukta had earlier directed the vigilance department to probe into the issue. The department submitted a report to the Telangana government recently, recommending action against officials for encouraging illegal constructions and failing to initiate action against illegal constructions since 2006.

The probe found that out of 1,330 buildings in Manikonda, about 245 had no approvals either from panchayat or HMDA, while another 450 buildings were built in violation of approved building plans.

It was also found that 220 buildings had additional floors, 186 buildings had G+2 floors and 42 had G+3 floors. Six buildings even had G+3 floors. The probe found that 50 per cent of the buildings in Manikonda did not possess documentation and as such there is no scope for regularisation under the BPS.

In some cases, panchayats okayed G+3 buildings though they are authorised to permit only up to G+2. The probe found that in Narsingi, out of 36 buildings, 31 were illegal.

Official sources in the municipal department revealed that the vigilance probe has recommended action against 19 officials, holding them responsible for the illegal structures. Of them, 10 are from panchayat raj and nine from HMDA.

The government had earlier suspended HMDA Shankarpally zone planning officer T. Prasanna. Action against divisional panchayat officer M. Subbarayudu, Rajen-dranagar executive officer (panchayat raj) M.Vittal Reddy and Manikonda panchayat secretary K. Mohan Rao is pending. In case of retired officials, the government is planning to stop retirement benefits.