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Slum funds splurged on skyways, highways
Turning a Nelson’s eye on poverty alleviation, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has diverted 40 per cent of the funds meant for the purpose for land acquisition to construct skyways and nala widening during last two years.
Hyderabad: Turning a Nelson’s eye on poverty alleviation, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has diverted 40 per cent of the funds meant for the purpose for land acquisition to construct skyways and nala widening during last two years.
While slums in Hyderabad have been languishing for want of better services, the corporation spent Rs 494 crore on skyways, Rs 120 crore on highways, Rs 143 crore on land acquisition and Rs 37 crore on nala widening in prime areas across the city. In contrast, it has spent just a measly Rs 100 crore during the financial year 2015-16 for slums.
The corporation, which has sanctioned Rs 702 crore for poverty elimination, slum development, welfare of SC, ST, minority and specially-abled has spent a mere Rs 171 crore for the financial year 2014-15. The corporation during financial year 2015-16 has spent Rs 323 crore from total 961 crore sanctioned.
Reacting on the subject, CPM city secretary M Srinivas said that the corporation following the directions of the state government has been diverting the funds for Metro Rail land acquisition, constructing sky-ways (which includes consultants’ fee), improvement of highways and other purposes.
He said that the TRS government since its inception has been discriminating the poor. "How can the corporation acquire land by using slum development funds when city slums are in bad condition,” he asked.
Rather than constructing 2BHK houses, the corporation has demolished the houses in most of the slums across Hyderabad in the name of demolition drive. He condemned the fund diversion and warned the government to face public ire if the same process is continued.
Greater Hyderabad BJP president B Venkat Reddy too said that the state government which makes tall claims to make Hyderabad a slum-free city has been turning a blind eye to the city slums.
He questioned how government can divert funds when there are no roads, sanitation, electricity and drinking water facilities.
He said that the vision of the corporation and state government is only to facilitate prime areas in the city but not slums.
A TRS leader on condition of anonymity said that the corporators across the city have been facing tremendous pressure from the public for not taking up any development activity.
He said since the corporators have been elected on TRS ticket, they have no choice but to obey the decisions of the government.
However, the TRS leader said that the situation would turn from bad to worse if the fund diversion continues during the current financial year also.
