NO SURPRISE

The report that GHMC is the third most corrupt after the transport and electricity departments, is not at all surprising for many of us who have dealt with it (Graft, not rain drowned city, September 23). Whether it is a birth or death certificate, approval of building plans nothing moves unless they are bribed. The only way is to dismiss the employee once charges are proved. The government says the city was flooded due to poor workmanship and corrupt GHMC officers. During the last two years the Telangana government blamed past rulers and did not do anything. Drainage works should have been carried out well before the monsoon. Why blame the GHMC alone for the lapses of the government? The government should take up the initiative instead of passing the blame. One of the indices of corruption in a city is its roads. The periodic maintenance ritual brings pots of gold to the privileged. Many people have now died due to poor roads. Surprisingly, the police has not registered any FIRs against the minister for municipal administration, the GHMC commissioner or the concerned engineer and contractor. The government must impose penalties on the owners of illegal buildings and punish corrupt officials. Demolishing thousands of illegally built buildings will cause social problems and a huge quantity of waste. I think that instead of that we must build a new drainage system using modern tech. The emergency number given by the GHMC (040-21111111) is useless in an emergency as it will never connect. I am staying at Sainikpuri Defence Colony. My lane was submerged. When I called them they told me I will get an SMS. But that did not come. Floods occur because of drains clogging, construction of buildings in drainage areas, breaching of tanks etc. This means that we are causing floods. Unless we tackle corruption we cannot solve this. In my grand parents’ village, Kavutaram, there used to be a big tank and a canal. When it rains the water never gave us problems as it flows into the canal and tank. Likewise, in our twin cities, there must be tanks and canals to drain away the water.