Business in the name of social service

Misusing govt funds, a so-called specially-abled home, mints money by using leased land for commercial purposes

Radha Institute for Mentally Retarded, at Kothapet X Roads, is supposed to serve the specially-abled. But in reality it is misusing the government land. The management erected 26 shops and is charging a rent of Rs 10,000 per month from every shop. They successfully got a lease extention till 2043, at a meagre rent of Rs 3,000 per annum. The equipment, meant for the disabled, rot in the open. The innocent specially-abled children are the real victims. The hostel rooms meant for them are rented out to drivers and watchmen in the area and the land is used to herd cattle and park heavy vehicles. Revenue officials inspected the institute and remarked that it is a ‘prima facie’ case of misusing a project meant for specially-abled and are in the process of initiating punitive action

Serving the under-privileged and specially-abled is the most humane task. The organisations and people who do such yeomen service are lauded and are held in high esteem in the society. But, of late, many organisations are actually serving their own interests in the name of service. They are eating up all the government funds and related initiatives and are thriving commercially.

Radha Institute for Mentally Retarded, at Kothapet X Roads, is one such institute. The institute was started in the year 1985 on a two-and-a-half acre leased land. The institute claims to serve specially-abled and even boasts of physiological and psychiatric services. The land was given on lease until 2026. In 2010, the chairperson of the institute, Sudha Maramraju, wrote to the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) seeking extension of the lease. In its response on July 26, 2010, HMDA officials gave an extension of 17 more years, i.e. till 2043 at a meagre fee of Rs 3,000 per annum.

Serving the specially-abled is hardly a priority for the institute. The vast two-and-a-half acre land is being used to herd cattle and is also used as a parking lot for heavy vehicles.

They have also erected 26 mulgis on the land and have offered them on rent. A rent of Rs 10,000 per month is collected from each mulgi. Wheel chairs and other equipment that were donated to the institute rot in the open. Of late, rooms of hostels that were supposed to house the specially-abled are given on rent too.

The sight at the institute is paltry. No classes are conducted and the specially-abled are made to sit idle in the open. The roster claims that they have 80 specially-abled. But the headcount hardly comes to 20. Andhra Pradesh Balala Hakkula Sangham (APBHS) has complained about the misuse of land with the revenue officials at Saroornagar.

Chandra Reddy, deputy collector, and Divya, revenue inspector, visited the premises on Friday. They said that it was a ‘prima facie’ case of misuse and the complaint made by the APBHS was indeed true. They added that they would expedite the process and demolish the mulgis and ensure that proper action was taken.

Speaking to Hyderabad Hans, Achyuta Rao, APBHS president, said, “The institute has thrown out the students in the open. No vocational training whatsoever is happening here. They boast of having a physiotherapist, psychiatrist and others. All one can see are drivers, cleaners, sweepers and watchmen for whom the hostel is rented out. The owners are making a bomb by sub-leasing the mulgis.”

APBHS also demanded the revenue officials to stop misuse of the area. “The institute should be blacklisted and punished according to revenue law for misusing government funds and land and cheating the innocent children apart from evicting illegal occupants.

The officials who inspected the premises promised us action. If no action is taken, we will go to the Lokayukta,” he added.