Hyderabad: Aspirants who spent large amounts of money to get elected to civic bodies, especially on the city outskirts, have unwittingly won a crown of thorns. The Municipal Act gives them very little power but loads them with responsibilities.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and municipal administration minister K.T. Rama Rao had repeatedly warned aspirants to read the municipal Act prior to filing nominations. They realised the true picture only after they were elected as mayors of municipal and chairpersons of municipalities.
They cannot sign cheques for the development of their wards. Most powers rest with the municipal commissioner and district collectors. The elected representatives can be sacked at any time for issues like poor sanitation, survival rate of less than 85 per cent of saplings planted in Haritha Haaram, mosquito menace, road damage and even for erecting unauthorised hoardings.
Collectors and commissioner can cancel any resolution passed by the civic body and even suspend chairpersons. Even Cabinet ministers cannot stay the orders, unlike previously. However, the party has indirectly assured them said that they could deal with real estate activity since 60 per cent of panchayats are converted into municipalities and municipal corporations. Most of the corporators are realtors. Realty is booming in the municipal corporation areas of Badangpet, Bandlaguda, Peerzadiguda, Jawahar-nagar, Meerpet, Boduppal and Nizampet on the city outskirts which are in HMDA jurisdiction.
The provision in the Municipal Act to get deemed approval for buildings constructed on plots of less than 500 square metres and and constructions less than 10 metres in height without official interference is a major boost. Sources said that the Municipal Act would be would extremely useful for citizens, which gives the option of self certification for plots less than 75 square metres, online building permission, ensuring greenery for which representatives would made accountable, better sanitation and corruption at the ground level.
