PAC slams officials over delay in city projects

The Public Accounts Committee, the premier body that is constitutionally entitled to scrutinise public expenditure, on Thursday pulled up agencies working in city development projects for delays.

The PAC, headed by senior Congress MLA Dr J. Geetha Reddy, joined by BJP MLA and state party president Dr K. Laxman, faulted civic officials for giving lame excuses. On potholes, GHMC commissioner B. Janardhan Reddy said repairs could only be done in phases. All roads could not be repaired at the same time; in areas prone to water logging, repairs may have to be done several times, he said.

Water and Sewerage Board, the electricity department, and private companies dig up roads citing emergencies, he said. He admitted that only half the repairs had been done and the monsoon has already set in. Dr Geetha Reddy said that since the government has stated that there is no dearth of funds, it seems that a lack of proper planning is the root cause of the problem.

It was suggested that cement roads be built instead of BT roads, to avoid frequent potholes, but the GHMC commissioner said the problem would continue if they are dug up. Dr Geetha Reddy replied that it cannot be the case that there is no solution to the problem and suggested that all department heads discuss it and evolve a strategy. Dr Laxman pulled up officials for allowing untreated sewage being released in the Ashoknagar nala from the Hussainsagar, which was creating an unbearable situation for people living in colonies around the nala. Sewerage Board executive director Satyanarayana said sewerage treatment plants had not been constructed in all the erstwhile 12 peripheral municipalities (now merged into the GHMC) and that is why there is this problem.

It was pointed out that the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had said though funds had been allotted, one STP proposed at Serilingampally had not been completed even after six years.

Mr Satyanarayana said `200 crore was needed for the STP due to the cost of land acquisition. To complete all the proposed STPs and areas surrounding the Musi river, `7,000 crore was required, he said.

Dr Reddy replied that the State Budget was dependent on revenue from the capital. When the government is spending `50,000 crore on Mission Bhagiratha, and `25,000 crore on Mission Kakatiya, `7,000 crore for STPs is not a big thing, she said.

Since the government has stated that there is no dearth of funds, it seems that a lack of proper planning is the root cause of the problem — Dr GEETHA REDDY, Congress MLA