REG News, Hyderabad : Corporators of various divisions in the GHMC limits have been going to any extent to collect ‘mamools’ from people building homes. If they get scent of a person laying the foundation stone for a building, they would send their henchmen for mediation and extort money from people.
There are some woman corporators, but their spouses and other relatives wield the influence on their behalf. In a latest development in Uppal Division, a case was registered against Uppal Corporator’s husband and her PA with the Uppal police for threatening a school owner, who is expanding the school building, for bribes.
Prior to elections, elders in government apparently cautioned corporators against collecting mamools. Accordingly, they took precautions. Earlier, there was an instance of police registering a case against Chaitanyapuri corporator. In a latest move, the corporators have switched back to their old ways and even set targets for ward members and their PAs, creating a sensation in the city. The situation can be termed as the worst in LB Nagar, Malkajgiri, Qutubullahpur, Uppal, Musheerabad, Kukatpally, Rajendranagar and other constituencies.
As there was no government funding to them, some of the corporators, to make the most when in power, are stooping to any low. A number of complaints have been lodged with civic authorities against them. In LB Nagar constituency, the conduct of the corporators is stated to be atrocious. A case was registered against one of the corporators in the constituency. In another case, spouse of another corporator earned the nickname as the collection king.
Another woman corporator appointed three persons to give her a tip off about any construction activity in the division, to save her husband from the trouble of collecting money from the people. Recently, MLA was understood to have advised corporators against this practice, but they understood to have turned a deaf ear to it. Uppal constituency is being ruled by four corporators. They are alleged to be conducting themselves as they liked. One corporator is not in a mood to allow the other corporator to gain upper hand in the constituency. No corporator respects the words of other corporator here. The problem seems to have surfaced due to many corporators ruling the region.
In Qutubullahpur constituency, some of the corporators are resorting to irregularities in real estate ventures, besides collecting bribe from builders. In Mahadevapuram of Gajularamaram, in respect of a government land of the SFC which is under the dispute, three corporators filed tenders for a major project and even purchased brand new vehicles. Husband of a corporator got a structure pulled down with the help of the government officials as the builder refused to give the amount he had demanded.
However, later on receiving the kickbacks, he has asked the officials not to adopt hard line towards the builder. In the region which is close to industrial estate, husband of a corporator is fixing the amount to be paid by anyone building a structure. The corporators are also accused of collecting huge sums as bribe in building godowns near Fox Sagar. In Malkajgiri constituency, husband of a corporator, who happened to be a builder, is conducting all settlements under his watchful eyes. In another division, corporator and her son are interfering with various activities. They are being accused of placing heavy demands to collect bribe from those who are building homes in Banda Cheruvu area.
In Kukatpally constituency, names of three corporators have been sending shivers down the spine of the people. While a corporator is encouraging construction activity in a tank bed, another corporator developed a realty venture in government lands. In Serilingampalli constituency, in a municipal division adopted by an important leader the illegal construction activity is going on under the watchful eyes of a corporator, it is alleged. The civic officials are accused of turning a blind eye to the goings on, according to complaints lodged with authorities.
