Your money for their gadgets

GHMC corporators don’t want to return laptops

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) had generously offered laptops, printers and Apple iPad-4s to its 150 corporators in 2012 and had in fact funded the gadgets from its annual budget. But now, none have returned their laptops except one.

Three years ago, the corporators received laptops for which the GHMC had spent Rs 88 lakh. Later, the corporation bestowed an Apple iPad-4s to all its corporators as well as to five co-opted members spending another Rs 72 lakh. The GHMC was dissolved as the elected body completed its five year term on December 3, 2014, but till date barring an L B Nagar lady corporator, none have returned the laptops and other gadgets.

Ashwin Allari Naidu, secretary, United Federation of Residents Welfare Associations (UFERWAS), Alwal, says, “In spite of repeated complaints, written as well as oral to the GHMC officials including the Commissioner, we have not received a reply on the status of laptops. It is public money that was spent and it is the duty of the corporation to get back the gadgets.”

Arun, a resident of Malkajgiri and a member of UFERWAS says, “We gave written complaints but the GHMC is not taking action.” A senior official of GHMC said that notices were sent to the corporators. It is learnt that the corporators are refusing to return the gadgets saying that after five years they just have scrap value and it was demeaning on the part of the corporation to ask them to return the gadgets.

Another former corporator of Malkajgiri questioned, “When MLAs were not asked to return the gadgets why are we asked? The GHMC is insulting us.” Ashwin who lodged a written complaint said that a majority of the corporators are computer illiterate and the very idea of giving them gadgets was wrong.

“In most cases it is their children who used the gadgets. Public money cannot be squandered in such a manner. The money could have been used to improve civic infrastructure,” he said.

By:T P Venu