NMC staff have earned ill-repute for not performing their duties unless citizens greased their palms. Even for essential services like water supply, citizens are having to pay through their nose. Siraspeth resident Kailas Ghumre told TOI that people living in his lane collected money during summer to pay to NMC valve operators. "Unless we pay them, they simply do not open the valves for our lane. We have complained to our corporator and officials concerned many times but in vain," he said.
A 52-year-old man approached NMC on Wednesday to lodge a complaint against irregularities in garbage collection before his shop in Giripeth. Requesting anonymity, he alleged, "The ghanta gadi operators have not been collecting garbage from our area for the past many days. The sanitary workers have been asking for Rs 200 per shop per month. Only then will they collect garbage and sweep streets regularly," he said. He refused to pay the bribe as a result of which there is pile of garbage gathered at his premises and strong stink is emanating from it.
Rupesh Shroti (name changed), a resident of Mahal, complained that a staffer from Gandhibagh zone demanded bribe from him to issue death certificate. He wondered how the corporation staff could demand bribe even from bereaved family members. "It goes to show how insensitive they have become," he said.
Citizens experience corruption at almost every department in NMC and are made to run from pillar to post if they refuse to oblige. People complain that the town planning department is one of the corrupt in NMC. From sanctioning a building plan to issuing occupancy certificates, no task is achieved without paying bribe. Everyone from Class IV employee to engineer demands bribes to move the files and sanction applications.
Octroi department is also infamous for bribery. If the staffers work honestly, they can help boost revenue of civic body. The earnings of the department would double, pointed Dilip Khandelwal, a trader. Private contractors, requesting anonymity, also complained about corruption in finance and accounts department. They pointed out that here the officials never clear their bills unless appeased. Contractors are always found making rounds of the accounts department to get their bills cleared.
The happiest lot in NMC is in enforcement department. Their poor performance can be gauged by increasing number of unauthorised constructions in all areas. Corruption rules in health, education and property tax departments too.
Senior citizen and social activist Umesh Choubey blamed corporators for this. Choubey said, "With the connivance of both bureaucrats and public representatives, NMC officials are having a field day. NMC has failed miserably on every front. Civic services have touched a nadir and problems of cleanliness and sanitation, health and education have worsened due to corruption."
He asked why corporators shielded corrupt officials. Corporators did not work for the development of the city and only planned schemes to grab public money, he charged. "The root of the problem is apathy, callousness and profligacy in spending public money. Corruption in NMC has become so commonplace that it hardly registers on the public consciousness," he pointed.
Another resident Vijay Bangar blamed the corporators for the mess. He pointed out that despite frequent exposes of wrongdoings by NMC officials, no action is taken. The employees carry on with their illegal 'businesses' as usual. He cited many examples wherein NMC officials were caught red-handed while demanding and accepting money but the NMC's general body never supported investigating agency including Anti-Corruption Bureau in probe against officials.
Absence of punishment is one reason behind the rise in corruption, said social activist Raju Wagh. "Public servants here have little regard for the laws," he said. NMC corporator Manoj Sangole admitted that corporators were responsible for corruption. He claimed that corporators were well aware of corruption but do nothing for their vested interests.
Nagpur Improvement Trust
Corruption is rampant in almost all services provided by the Nagpur Improvement Trust too. Residents wondered how corruption continues to rule even after many high-ranking officials were trapped while accepting bribe.
Cleansing NMC
Prosecute effectively: Due to lack of conviction, corruption has increased. Prosecution of those caught in corruption cases should be effective
E-governance: Online tender, online tax and online registration of works in corporation will curb graft
Performance appraisals: Linking pay of staff to quality of service rendered will also help
Independent review: An independent agency should be formed to review developmental works in every part of the city
No interference: Public representatives should not be allowed to interfere in matters related to corruption
A 52-year-old man approached NMC on Wednesday to lodge a complaint against irregularities in garbage collection before his shop in Giripeth. Requesting anonymity, he alleged, "The ghanta gadi operators have not been collecting garbage from our area for the past many days. The sanitary workers have been asking for Rs 200 per shop per month. Only then will they collect garbage and sweep streets regularly," he said. He refused to pay the bribe as a result of which there is pile of garbage gathered at his premises and strong stink is emanating from it.
Rupesh Shroti (name changed), a resident of Mahal, complained that a staffer from Gandhibagh zone demanded bribe from him to issue death certificate. He wondered how the corporation staff could demand bribe even from bereaved family members. "It goes to show how insensitive they have become," he said.
Citizens experience corruption at almost every department in NMC and are made to run from pillar to post if they refuse to oblige. People complain that the town planning department is one of the corrupt in NMC. From sanctioning a building plan to issuing occupancy certificates, no task is achieved without paying bribe. Everyone from Class IV employee to engineer demands bribes to move the files and sanction applications.
Octroi department is also infamous for bribery. If the staffers work honestly, they can help boost revenue of civic body. The earnings of the department would double, pointed Dilip Khandelwal, a trader. Private contractors, requesting anonymity, also complained about corruption in finance and accounts department. They pointed out that here the officials never clear their bills unless appeased. Contractors are always found making rounds of the accounts department to get their bills cleared.
The happiest lot in NMC is in enforcement department. Their poor performance can be gauged by increasing number of unauthorised constructions in all areas. Corruption rules in health, education and property tax departments too.
Senior citizen and social activist Umesh Choubey blamed corporators for this. Choubey said, "With the connivance of both bureaucrats and public representatives, NMC officials are having a field day. NMC has failed miserably on every front. Civic services have touched a nadir and problems of cleanliness and sanitation, health and education have worsened due to corruption."
He asked why corporators shielded corrupt officials. Corporators did not work for the development of the city and only planned schemes to grab public money, he charged. "The root of the problem is apathy, callousness and profligacy in spending public money. Corruption in NMC has become so commonplace that it hardly registers on the public consciousness," he pointed.
Another resident Vijay Bangar blamed the corporators for the mess. He pointed out that despite frequent exposes of wrongdoings by NMC officials, no action is taken. The employees carry on with their illegal 'businesses' as usual. He cited many examples wherein NMC officials were caught red-handed while demanding and accepting money but the NMC's general body never supported investigating agency including Anti-Corruption Bureau in probe against officials.
Absence of punishment is one reason behind the rise in corruption, said social activist Raju Wagh. "Public servants here have little regard for the laws," he said. NMC corporator Manoj Sangole admitted that corporators were responsible for corruption. He claimed that corporators were well aware of corruption but do nothing for their vested interests.
Nagpur Improvement Trust
Corruption is rampant in almost all services provided by the Nagpur Improvement Trust too. Residents wondered how corruption continues to rule even after many high-ranking officials were trapped while accepting bribe.
Cleansing NMC
Prosecute effectively: Due to lack of conviction, corruption has increased. Prosecution of those caught in corruption cases should be effective
E-governance: Online tender, online tax and online registration of works in corporation will curb graft
Performance appraisals: Linking pay of staff to quality of service rendered will also help
Independent review: An independent agency should be formed to review developmental works in every part of the city
No interference: Public representatives should not be allowed to interfere in matters related to corruption
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