Staff crunch in Anantapur civic body delays works

Anantapur: Lack of proper coordination among the officials of Anantapur Municipal Corporation (AMC) led to poor development of the locality with pending work at every level. As many as 130 development works of various divisions and departments have been pending with the AMC authorities.

Further, works worth more than Rs 20 crore had got poor response from contractors and with the change of government in the state, these projects are mired in confusion.

The AMC superintendent engineer Rajendra Krishna who took charge few weeks before the general elections reportedly went on leave for a week ago due to poor coordination by the subordinates in the engineering section.

The AMC has five deputy executive engineers, 10 AEs and 10 work inspectors along with 60 contractors.

Sources said the official went on leave seeking transfer to another municipal corporation.

Similarly, the corporation Assistant Commissioner also went on leave in the last week and is reportedly making efforts to get a transfer to the coastal area. The AMC authorities sanctioned drainage and laying of road dividers in various parts of the corporation limits.

Further, the drinking water pipeline project is still in its first phase and a few areas are provided with new pipelines in the city.

Many colonies are waiting to get a new pipeline connection. As per the phase-I plan, the new distribution system should reach every door step of the municipal corporation and installation of metres to water supply should happen in the second phase.

The tenure of the civic body would end on July 3 and that of the special officers will be till completion of elections for the corporations and municipalities. Sources said, gram panchayat and panchayat raj polls will be completed in the first phase itself.

A senior official from AMC lamented  that the works were pending at various stages due to shortage of officers.