Hyderabad: This year too, neither the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) nor the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) invited tenders to dispose of the tonnes of iron that are removed from the Hussainsagar and other major lakes in the city after Ganesh nimajjanam. This decision could dent the coffers of both the urban management bodies.
Verification showed that the minimum amount of iron generated in the GHMC limits is around 4,000 tonnes and over Rs 12 crore revenue can be earned by disposing it of transparently. However, while the officials of the HMDA speaking to Deccan Chronicle said the onus of disposing of the iron is with the GHMC, in turn, the corporation blamed the HMDA.
As works less than Rs 5 lakh value do not require a tender and can be handed over on a contract basis, the officials of both departments in the guise of this rule are disposing of the iron without transparency. Despite tonnes of iron being fished out, they are handed over the works on a contract basis citing that the cost of extracted iron is less than Rs 5 lakh and the works were awarded to multiple contractors.
“Only at a few places, the iron is disposed of on a contract basis to hide this fraudulent practice in the city. However even at major lakes including Hussainsagar, there is no accountability for the iron disposed,” said a GHMC official.
“There is a nexus at zonal and circle level officials of HMDA and GHMC resulting in revenue loss,” he added. At Hussiansagar, the Ganesh Nimajjanam works are executed by HMDA and the GHMC. At other city lakes where the works are handed over entirely to the GHMC, there is no accountability for the iron disposed.
