Hyderabad: The Sardar Mahal circle office of the GHMC has turned into a den of brokers who are selling birth certificates for Rs 3,500 and Rs 4,000 when the actual price is Rs 80. The GHMC commissioner was informed of the collusion between the corporation’s officers and brokers, and the guilty were suspended. But, due to the conspiracy at the circle office, the suspension orders have still not reached the zonal commissioner. Ram Mohan, a contract employee of the GHMC, has allegedly colluded with brokers and through them is charging a high price to issue birth certificates. The Sardar Mahal circle office receives the highest number of applications for birth certificates, mainly from those aspiring to work abroad.
It is also alleged that Ram Mohan knows the ID and password of the assistant medical officer of health who is authorised to sign the certificates. In the absence of the AMOH, Mohan auth-orises the certificates. Ms Fatima, a resident of Falaknuma, narrated her experience: “I wanted to correct the spelling of my name so I approached the Sardar Mahal office and went to the citizen centre to find out the details. I submitted the documents, but still I was made to go to the office twice a week. An agent then contacted me and said that my work would be done within two days if I paid him '1,000 for correcting the spelling. Finally, I ended up paying him because I was tired of coming to this office every other day.”
Such cheating has been going on for years but nobody cares about it, said Mr Mubashir Khan, an RTI activist. “The broker mafia is very strong in Sardar Mahal compared to other GHMC circles. The previous zonal commissioner tried to remove them but the other day they surrounded his car and threatened him, and from that time no one dares to question them,” The brokers have a contract with Ram Mohan for every certificate he issues as he holds the digital key of the AMOH. “He in turn uses this key and signs the certificates. Despite several complaints to the GHMC commissioner, no action has been taken against him as the commissioner’s copy never reaches the zonal office,” Mr Khan said. When DC contacted the commissioner’s office, an officer said notices had been issued to curb irregularities by contract employees.
