Row over ‘study’ tour

Corporators plan foreign jaunt with public money again

The corporators of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, are planning to go on another jaunt despite their earlier “study tours” coming under the scanner of the Andhra Pradesh Lok Ayukta.

The civic body sponsors these trips that come to about `1.50 crore every year. On paper, these tours are undertaken by the corporators to study new projects like civic, environmental and transport infrastructure and policies being practiced in other cities which could be followed to improve civic conditions in the city.

The officials, who have been in a dilemma to approve the tour, against the backdrop of Lok Ayukta asking for details about the learning experience of the corporators from their earlier trips; the improvement suggestions given by them and how they have helped improve the civic condi- tions in the city have reportedly succumbed to the pressure from the corporators.

The study tour is likely to be approved with a rider that unlike earlier trips, when the corporators visited places like Gangtok and Darjeeling, which had no similarities to Hyderabad, this time the destinations will be similar to the conditions in Hyderabad. It has been emphasised that it will be a study tour and not a sight-seeing or a pleasure trip.

Another important development brought about which comes along with the tour approval is likely to be the submission of study tour reports.

Since the groups embark on tour in batches, the batch leaders, will submit the tour report and also make suggestions on projects that can be executed back in Hyderabad.

The reports would be prepared with the help of officials as well as other experts.