Time KCR stems the rot

As a potent thunderbolt, the latest that has just about exploded may well serve as a reminder to the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led State Government that its honeymoon period is drawing to an end, albeit not to its entire liking.

Drug rackets that have been unearthed in Hyderabad, and evidence of the involvement of diverse sections, including notorious peddlers shipping in fatalistic high-end narcotics like LSD, MDMA, and delivering them at the doorsteps of film personalities, MNC employees and students, who are still minors, is not merely a matter of concern but comes as a strident wake-up call to the government to act fast and nip the macabre crime in the bud.

What should dismay the people in power is that this sordid exposure is not an isolated case. They had to confront a series of setbacks, which emerged in a phased but systematic level. Sadly, from among the many developments that have transpired in the last three years, the negatives are outnumbering the people-friendly initiatives.

There has been a lackadaisical approach in addressing and resolving the adverse ones, including scams that have been cropping up to the utter disappointment of the people of the State.

A cursory glance over certain important issues that came to light in these years indicates that the only aspects worth remembering have been fire-fighting operations, here and there. In fact, in many cases it appears like the issues were pushed under the carpet.

Here are some of the more condemnable ones. The fee reimbursement scam surfaced around the time Telangana State’s first government was assuming office. When brought his notice, the Chief Minister reassured to book all those guilty of fraud in the multi-crore scandal, which was intended to benefit colleges as money was directly paid to professional institutions.

Of a staggering Rs 10,000 crore that was being spent every year, a whopping 75 percent of this money was going to private colleges. As things stand, the burden in Telangana would be around Rs 4,300 crore per annum. It is a tragedy that these colleges are run only to reap the benefits of fee reimbursement schemes and not for providing quality education, KCR had thundered at that time. Today, no one knows what finally happened to the scam.

Another major issue that rocked the State also came through in the education wing. The leakage of EAMCET-II question papers haunted the State like no other. The CID submitted a report that the question papers were leaked. Director General of Police Anurag Sharma placed the CID report before the Chief Minister, who directed the test to be annulled and a fresh one be conducted.

The kingpin was arrested in Uttar Pradesh and now the issue lies buried with none aware of what happened to the money that was siphoned off and what the modus operandi was. When one talks of scams can anyone ignore the ever-notorious real estate territory where nefarious elements rule the roost?

The State police was caught up in a massive land scam where in the sub-registrar of Kukatpally in Hyderabad had secretly gifted a huge area of government land, nearly 696 acres, belonging to HUDA (Hyderabad Urban Development Authority) amongst others, to a private real estate entity. All hell broke loose and a departmental enquiry found prima facie involvement of sub-registrars.

Acts like illegal registration of government lands and evasion of stamp duty during property registrations being perpetrated at the behest of such officers. The final straw is the lame excuse-the Stamps and Registration department is facing a dearth f work-force.

From the government side, bar a departmental enquiry and mass transfers, nothing tangible has been done in this regard. So much for going about the cleansing act and nailing culprits irrespective of their status and standing in the society! A government that works! Indeed!

By V RAMU SARMA