Hyderabad: The Stamps and Registrations department tried to bury a multi-crore land scam, taking refuge under the plea that it did not have enough officers to check irregularities, but it is not the only one to do so.
The GHMC, one of the state's highest revenue generating departments, has had no one to lead its vigilance and enforcement cell since April 31 last year. Crucial cases of scams in town planning, road engineering and advertising are pending for a year as no Additional Superintendent of Police has been appointed to investigate into referred complaints. Errant officials are thus going scot-free.
A majority of the cases are with regard to town planning (fraud in building permission, bribes to overlook illegal constructions or major deviations), followed by the tax department, where there are complaints against officials for levying extra tax. The Sanitation, Advertisement and Engineering departments too have many complaints pending.
It may be recalled that recently, a scam was unearthed in the Central Zone office of the GHMC, in which 27 contractors and 12 engineers who had allegedly colluded with them were caught for producing fake bills amounting to Rs 1.8 crore in shoddy desilting works.
The scam was unearthed through an internal audit, but there has since been no investigation by Vigilance and Enforcement since it was first exposed. The Vigilance and Enforcement cell of GHMC receives complaints either directly from the GHMC Commissioner or through the Additional Commissioner-Administration. Officials said that it is for the Director General of Police to appoint an Additional SP to head the cell.
When they are caught
- First instance Suspension, followed by detailed enquiry, after which charges are framed and action taken according to the classification of service control appeal (CCA)
- Second instance Suspension, detailed enquiry, withholding of increments
- Punishment is different for permanent GHMC employees from what would be awarded to officials on deputation from other departments like Public Health, Commission and Directorate of Municipal Department, Family welfare.
Concrete debris haul and inflated billing
Since the desilting scam was unearthed in the Central Zone Office of the GHMC, another scam has broken out in the same office that covers the lifting of debris.
A contractor (who is now under investigation) tried to cheat the corporation by producing fake bills for lifting concrete debris. Though the load has been lifted and carted away, the contractor has reportedly produced bills that show inflated number of trips for the purpose and claimed payments for them.
Cases pending with vigilance and Enforcement section
- Enquiry pending for a year gainst a zonal commissioner for possessing disproportionate assets.
- A case pending on fraud in desilting of nalas in South, West, North, East and Central zones and referred to V & E.
- A case on Property Mutation fraud in Circle 7 and enquiry against an Assistant Municipal Commissioner.
- Many enquiries on alleged fraud committed in the sports department are pending.
- With action in so many cases still eluding, there is no deterrent to stop new scams.
