Now go after the builders and municipal officials

We had predicted that someone would go to court and it happened. The Andhra Pradesh High Court has on 24th Jan 08, asked the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) not to pass any orders on regularization of illegal structures uunder the guise of Cumpolsory Disclosure Scheme (CDS). As I had written in one of my earlier posts, this was one the biggest scams that was perpetuated on the common man.

Crooked builders in cahoots with corrupt municipal officials played havoc with the entire system. To start with, builders pay hefty bribes to every person in the municipal office starting with a free apartment for the Chairman of the concerned municipality, of course under a benami name. I not making an accusation with knowing the facts, this is true and I challenge the GHMC commissioner to order an enquiry into the ‘true’ ownership of the flats, and the answers will unnerve him.

Once the buyers approaches the builder he gives him a copy of the sanction from the municipal office, with which the buyers applies for a loan. The bank only looks at the legality of the document and not what has actually been constructed. Not that the buyer is aware, for he is not a civil engineer to check this. That is infact done by the Municipal tax assessor who comes to check the building after it is constructed and raise a property tax notice. Once the Municipal authority raises the Property Tax notice, the property should be deemed legal in all respects. It is an acceptance that the property has been checked to the last detail.

If not, GHMC Commissioner has to order the dismissal of all his staff who have connived with unscrupulous builders. The assests of these officials both in their name and benami should also be checked.

Secondly, GHMC has to launch prosecution against builders who have constructed illegal floors, penthouses and built shops in parking areas. Most of the builders are still around and are still active in their business. So GHMC knows who they are and where they are. If not, we the citizens should approach courts to seek a direction from the judicial body to arrest these builders.

A senior IAS officer in the Government of Andhra Pradesh, Municipal Administration department, SP Singh had the audacity to say that buyers are responsible for buying flats with deviations. What about your offcials who let the buildings come up, Mr Singh ? What were they doing ? What about the builders who still come to your office for sanctions to start their new projects ? Why can't you file cases against them and blacklist them ? Surely Mr Singh and his department are in cahoots with the builders.

Citizens of the twin cities, Awake. It’s time to fight for your rights and put the corrupt officials and builders behind bars.