ACB raid exposes irregularities in SMC town planning wing

Srikakulam: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials exposed loopholes in town planning department of the Srikakulam Municipal Corporation (SMC). Recently, the ACB sleuths conducted verification of files at town planning office in SMC for two days. Later the officials conducted inspection at field level, seized records and tallied them with its disposal by comparing with rules and citizen charter. The raids were conducted to establish documentary evidence on violation of safety rules by the builders and also to prove collusion of town planning staff with the builders and individual building owners. As part of enquiry, the ACB officials have identified 18 illegal constructions in the SMC limits.

They have also exposed violation of safety rules like minimum parking place, lack of minimum required distance between multi-storied buildings, a greater number of floors constructed than the permitted and approved limit, violation of parking rules. Previously district collector and special officer for SMC, J Nivas pulled up the town planning officials for their collusion with builders for graft with proofs and served notices to owners who violated rules. With ACB officials' inspections, the town planning wing officials are started worrying over future course of action of the government.

"We will submit a detailed report to the government on irregularities in town planning department of SMC," said ACB DSP B V S S R Murthy.

Rampant corruption is also prevailing in SMC engineering wing also. An executive engineer in the wing is reportedly involved in several illegal activities. According to sources, the EE is also facing several corruption charges while working in Rajiv Vidya Mission (RVM). The SMC staff openly suggested the ACB officials to focus on engineering wing.