GHMC panel fails to stem graft

Hyderabad: The GHMC’s ad-hoc committee, which met on Thursday to probe irregularities in the sanitation and advertisement wings, failed to agree on any measures to end corruption. The committee was supposed to take a call on ghost sweepers, who just remain on rolls with somebody else marking their attendance, fraudulent billing by sweeping machines, illegal hoardings among other issues.

However, the committee that includes Mayor G. Vijayalakshmi and two corporators from the Congress, BRS, BJP and the AIMIM and officials of additional commissioner rank did not take any decision on these matters that pilferage public money.

The committee was formed following a ruckus in one of the GHMC council meetings where members alleged a series of irregularities in the sanitation wing. However, it merely decided on increasing the door-to-door collection of garbage and its transportation.

In spite of their failure to take action against corruption, some members of the ad-hoc committee expressed their dissatisfaction. “The committee meeting was an eyewash. No concrete measures have been taken,” said Sravan Vurapalli, BJP corporator from Malkajgiri.

The committee members said that, ahead of the July 6 council meeting, the details of bills released to RE Sustainability Limited (formerly Ramky Enviro Engineers Ltd) should also be released.

No action was taken against officials for the irregularities in the advertisement wing. “Despite irregularities, no concrete action has been initiated on officials. GHMC deputy executive engineer (advertisement) M. Karthik has been asked merely to report to engineering-in-chief Ziauddin Mohammed,” said another committee member.

Ironically, GHMC assistant medical officers of health (AMOH), who are doctors, left better jobs in the health department to take care of sanitation activities at the GHMC.

The doctors who shifted to the GHMC sanitation wing include Dr K.S. Ravi (Jubilee Hills), Dr Y. Hemalatha (Amberpet) circle, and Dr N. Venkata Ramana (Karpra). Other government doctors also speculated to be trying to get into the sanitation wing, which is considered to be promising.

“When people come back to GHMC leaving better designations in the health department, especially amidst irregularities, it raises suspicion about their intent,” said a source in GHMC.

Sanitary field assistants (SFAs), who oversee the activities of sweepers, staged a protest in front of GHMC Kukatpally zonal office on Wednesday against AMOH of Moosapet circle Dr Solomon, accusing him of harassing them. However, it was not clear whether the AMOH was harassing them or holding them accountable.