Will truth ever see the light?

House panel fails to probe irregularities in housing societies

​Hyderabad: Nepotism, favoritism and irregularities still abound the housing societies. Even after two years of constituting a House Committee to probe the irregularities in the functioning of cooperative housing societies, particularly the Jubilee Hills Cooperative House Building Society and the Film Nagar Cooperative Housing Society, nothing has changed.

The 12-member House Committee comprising members of Assembly and Council constituted in January 2015 and headed by Aroori Ramesh, MLA, met just a couple of times.

After going through a report prepared by Additional Registrar of Cooperative Societies N Kiranmayee on the irregularities in cooperative housing societies, said the committee would take stringent action against the managements and individual plot owners responsible for the irregularities.

The House Committee had also decided to inspect the Film Nagar Cooperative Housing Society, Jubilee Hills Cooperative Housing Society, Nandagiri Hills Coop Housing Society and Venkateshwara Cooperative Housing Society in the city, but so far they have not visited any of these societies.

The panel during their meetings condemned the harassment of Kiranmayee, who was transferred to Warangal on disciplinary grounds. But it seems that the issue has now been given a decent burial.

According to the report submitted by Kiranmayee, the managing committee of the Film Nagar Society had not followed the procedures for admission of members and allotment of plots as per the provisions of the byelaws of the society.

The managing committee of the society had given the allotment letters to the members stating that the draw was held on October 27, 1982 at the general body meeting.

But no such draws were recorded. Still, they were given allotment letters to members of their choice violating the provisions of byelaws of the society.

According to the report, some individuals had produced a certificate from the Film Chamber that they are members of the AP Film Chamber of Commerce. Similarly, some individuals produced certificates that they were working with some banners.

The society allotted plots to them without cross verification about whether the banners existed or not. As a result, many who do not belong to the film industry also got plots.

Though the plots were meant for houses, many of them violated the byelaws and constructed apartments, shopping complexes, commercial offices, etc. Among those who got plots are doctors, students, employees and business people. It was also noticed that several transactions of transfer of plots took place.

As per the rules, the society has to collect transfer charges from the purchaser in the transaction. But most of the transfers were made by the Registration Department as and when the members approached them without obtaining the NOC from the society.

In almost all the transfers, there has been deviation of the byelaws and the plots were sold without prior approval of the society.

In view of these gross irregularities, the Additional Registrar had recommended a thorough probe into all documents, including membership files and collection of transfer charges either by the CBI or Vigilance and Enforcement Department.

After the formation of the TRS government, the issue rocked the Assembly and the Chief Minister had agreed to the Opposition demand for a House Committee.

By: V Ramu Sarma and Naresh Sankepally