Hyderabad: Civic work piles with corporators' apathy

Hyderabad: Almost six months after TRS won the GHMC elections with a huge majority on February 6, there is hardly any difference to improvement of the civic conditions.

The 150 corporators, 99 of them from the ruling TRS, neither have the power nor funds and they play no role in addressing the civic problems. The 100-day action plan came and went with officers rushing around to finishpending work. No plan was drawn up for the city.

A month later, the elected body of the corporation was formed. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao held a two-day training class for the TRS corporators on government policy, governance, addressing people’s issues and on the responsibilities of people’s representatives. The corporators appear to have learned nothing.

Mr G.V. Rao of the Greater Alwal Allied Service Association said that even before the February 2 GHMC elections, they were pursuing the corporation for bus shelters, segregated autorickshaw stands and removal of footpath encroachments. The GHMC took no action.

“After the Alwal corporator (Ms Chintala Vijayashanti) took charge, we asked for the same things but she cited lack of funds,” he said. Minor works worth less than '50,000 were taken up by the GHMC from the corporators’ nominated funds but no major works were touched upon.

“Summer has gone, at least during  monsoon there should be bus shelters. Even a basic shelter with a bench and a tubelight is sufficient,” he said. Autorickshaws continue to be parked in front of bus stands and no encroachment has been removed from footpaths.

Unapproachable corporators are the main reason for either slow or zero development. Shantinagar Masab Tank resident Ashwin Kumar said the residents welfare association had repeatedly requested the GHMC assistant medical officers and corporators to clear the branches of chopped trees from the colony, but to no avail.

“If a corporator does not attend to even such minor issues, how can we expect BT roads, community halls and parks?” Most representations filed with the corporators are on sewage and drinking water, garbage disposal, construction of community halls, gyms, colony parks,  public toilets, removal of encroachments on footpaths etc.

“The corporators cannot delay immediate relief works like controlling stray dogs menace and carrying out anti-larva operations. These don’t need funds but are being ignored,” said Ms M. Yoga of Begumpet.

“Resident welfare associations  should be made part of GHMC planning and executing process. One wonder what these corporators learn after visiting other cities and countries on study tours,” Mr G.V Rao of GAASA said.

Earlier corporators were allocated Rs 5 crore to identify, recommend and carry out civic works in their wards. So far, the corporators have not been given funds.
Minor works below Rs 50,000 are being done by GHMC zonal or circle offices out of the nominated funds of corporators. No major work has been taken up. Corporators, when they show up before the public rarely, say they have no funds.