HYDERABAD: The Enforcement, Vigilance and Disaster Management (EVDM) wing of the GHMC is procuring T-shirts and tracksuits worth Rs 16.96 lakh. But what has caught the eye is that they are being procured as safety equipment for the Disaster Response Force (DRF).
As per sources, 3,000 T-shirts and 1,500 tracksuits with the EVDM logo, 1,000 pairs of anti-skid hand gloves, 10 bundles of 4.5-inch hose pipe, 20 bundles of 3-inch hose pipes are being procured. This apart, EVDM wing has invited separate bids for procuring 13,000 reusable cloth nose masks with logo and 4,000 reusable gloves at an estimated cost of Rs 7.5 lakh.
EVDM wants the GHMC’s finance wing to delegate special financial powers as during an emergency when dealing with disaster. During the first and second lockdown too, the EVDM wing procured advanced chemical-resistant suits and gumboots, apart from anti-fogging goggles for safety of DRF personnel. During the second lockdown, it invited bids to spray 5.6 lakh kg of disinfection material at a cost of Rs 1.95 crore.
Presently, the GHMC is in no position to take up any new projects owing to lack of funds, except the Strategic Road Development Plan (SRDP) works through bank loans. There are complaints that though coffers of the civic body are almost empty and most employees are getting salaries late, lakhs of rupees of taxpayers’ money are being spent on “unnecessary things”.
Last month, the civic body took up renovation of deputy mayor’s office at an estimated cost of Rs 20 lakh despite the office being in a good condition. As per GHMC Act, deputy mayor has no powers to sanction any civic works. The mayor too has no powers, except for chairing council and standing committee meetings, apart from sanctioning emergency works up to ₹ 1 lakh during calamities. However, office renovations are going on expeditiously.
