The Hindu 26.08.2014
VMC seeks more time to develop Gunadala layout
Municipal employees may have to wait for some more time
to see the layout for their housing colony at Gunadala in proper shape.
The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) is learnt to have sought
“some more time” to fulfil its promise made to the Lokayukta which would
hear the case on Wednesday (August 27).
The
Corporation has been pleading that it needs more time to prepare the
layout, saying that it is facing paucity of funds. As soon as the
government released the dues, developmental works would be taken up, the
VMC officials told Lokayukta last year. They, however, could not keep
the promise.
The VMC collected Rs. 9.8 crore from its
employees as development charges in 2009. But, the funds were diverted
to other purposes. Now, not more than Rs. 17 lakh were available under
this head, sources say. The VMC may have to cough up more than Rs. 11
crore to develop the layout if the present Standard Schedule of Rates
(SSR) are to be considered.
The 55-acre layout has been mired in controversy ever since the proposal was conceived nearly two decades ago.
The
main contention of the employees is that the VMC has diverted the
developmental charges for some other purpose; the plots are not
registered in their names. They also alleged that the names of
ineligible persons had crept into the list.
The
employees say that the VMC has been deliberately dilly-dallying on the
matter for nearly 18 years. Some employees even breathed their last even
before they could realize the dream of building their own house, say
Ranganayakulu, employees union leader.
