Hyderabad: Telangana High Court fumed at higher officials of the GHMC on Tuesday, wondering how a building structure had five floors when it had permission for two.
The court termed the officials incapable to administrate and asked them to explain by March 5 if they propose to take penal action against officers and staff concerned for lack of supervisory control over territory under their command in terms of statutory provisions with them to control activities relating to illegal constructions.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan and Justice A. Rajasekhar Reddy were dealing with three petitions relating to illegal constructions in the city. The bench said the GHMC officials must be grilled in order to check corrupt practices. Justice Radhakrishnan asked senior GHMC officials how the officers and staff under their command permitted illegal constructions beyond second floor to take place right under their nose.
Recommending penal action against errant staff, the court said: “The provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act provide very many deeming provisions thereby elaborating definition of ‘corruption’ so that the Act’s provisions reach all in conflict with such law. There are also clear provisions in the IPC and other penal laws which point fingers of penalty as against officers who are in conflict with their duties and responsibilities in terms of statutory provisions and also public duties of government servants and public servants.”
“What would the GHMC do with such people in their service in cases of this nature, where dereliction of duty, gross breach of supervisory and trusteeship is shown to happen?” the Chief Justice asked.
