TDP dubs GHMC as second 'Satyam scam'

Hyderabad, Nov 5 (INN): The Telugu Desam Party has alleged that the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation was proving to be another Satyam scam where inflated figures are being used to present a rosy picture while covering up the irregularities.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, TDP GHMC floor leader Singireddy Srinivas Reddy said that the corporation was furnishing inflated figures with regard to developmental activities in its limits.

He said there was a huge difference between the actual funds, sanctioned amounts and real money that has been spent for different works in the city.

Disclosing the details, the TDP leader said that this year, the GHMC has sanctioned works worth Rs 2,046 crore against its annual budget of Rs 3,600 crore.

However, he said the actual capital available with the corporation is just Rs 2,283 crore. Despite this, the GHMC has spent a mere Rs 147 crore for various developmental activities in the last nine months.

An amount of Rs 56 crore was sanctioned for streetlights. However, only Rs 4 crore has been spent so far. As against the sanctioned amount of Rs 100 crore for storm water drains, he said only Rs 28 crore were spent.

Lack of proper drains has been causing damage to the roads at Fever Hospital, NIMS Hospital, Maitrivanam, Ameerpet and Banjara Hills.

Similarly, Rs 486 crore was sanctioned for construction and repair of roads. But the corporation has spent just Rs 45 crore.

Giving zone-wise details, Srinivas Reddy said that as against the capital of Rs 53 crore for Central Zone, works worth Rs 143 crore were sanctioned.

But only Rs 11 crore has been spent so far. Works worth Rs 100 crore were sanctioned in the East Zone which had a capital of Rs 52 crore. But only Rs 8 crore works have been completed in the zone.

Similarly, in the South Zone works amount to Rs 200 crore have been sanctioned. Whereas, the capital for the zone is just Rs 59 crore and so far, the GHMC has spent only Rs 14 crore.

Likewise, works worth only Rs 8.3 crore were completed in the West Zone as agaisnt the sanctioned amoutn of Rs 138 crore and a capital of Rs 58 crore. While the North Zone had a capital of Rs 52 crore, the GHMC has sanctioned works worth Rs 113 crore and executed projects worth just Rs 11 crore.

The TDP leader said that these statistics clearly show that the corporation was trying to mislead the people and government by inflating the figure.

He said there were no funds available with the corporation and it was trying to raise the same by increasing taxes. He sought to know as to why the GHMC has sanctioned works worth several hundred crore, despite knowing the fact that it had no funds to execute them.

Srinivas Reddy alleged that the GHMC was acting like a private organisation and not like a government body. He also demanded that the corporation disclose details of how the JNNURM funds were utilised by the corporation.

The TDP floor leaders said the GHMC has created a hype around the global biodiversity conference by stating that the Centre and State Governments would be releasing funds for the event. However, he said the government has so far released just Rs 156 crore for COP-11 related works.

Describing the GHMC as the second Satyam, he demanded a high-level enquiry into the utilisation of funds and the reasons for non-implementation of sanctioned projects. He also alleged that the corporation was not executing works as some contractors have refused to pay kickbacks.

Srinivas Reddy said that the State Government promised an amount of Rs 5,000 crore when the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad was made Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. However, he alleged that the government was yet to release those funds to the GHMC.