Vijayawada: Reports of rampant corruption in the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) seems not to be bothering its commissioner. Allegations of involvement in corruption by the VMC officials are increasing by the day but there is little action being taken to curb it by the authorities concerned. Violation of rules is being allowed by the VMC officials themselves by accepting some bribes.
Many people are found violating rules during construction of buildings right under the nose of the VMC officials, which is even cutting the income of the VMC. Builders, in collusion with the VMC officials, are violating the rules and doing away with it by offering some kickbacks to the officials concerned. Despite reports on violation of rules and corruption by the VMC officials in the media, the commissioner has not responded officially about it.
To avoid complying with the norms and building structures as per their wish, people are getting two plans approved but constructing only one building, about which a report was published in Deccan Chronicle recently. Hundreds of buildings have been constructed with approval of two plans and many more are coming up but no action has been taken on any of those flouting the rules so far.
When Deccan Chronicle consulted the town planning authorities regarding the action taken report, they said that every complaint is forwarded to the department concerned from the commissioner’s office, which is then sent to the employees concerned for verification. To make the city clean and green, the commissioner has been touring different areas every day and explaining the people about the need to segregate garbage at the source. However, there is criticism that the commissioner is trying to make the city clean while remaining silent about the corruption in his own department.
It is learnt that the local corporators also get some part of the corrupt money from the VMC officials. In such a case, the commissioner cannot act firmly on the violators due to political pressures also. Meanwhile, there is talk that the commissioner is concentrating only on the assignments given by the Chief Minister. He might be of the opinion that he needs to impress the CM first than focus on the corruption charges which can only lead to more headache.
