RTI Act exposes hired vehicles scam in MCK
An auto-rickshaw with registration number of TS11 UC 0809 is claimed as a car used by ACP
Mayor Y Sunil Rao is using his personal car TS02 EQ 7227, but MCK states that he was using AP07 Y 5488 vehicle
KARIMNAGAR: In a startling revelation, an auto-rickshaw with registration number of TS 11 UC 0809 is claimed a hired car from a private travel agency and used by the Assistant City Planner (ACP) of Municipal Corporation of Karimnagar (MCK) in Karimnagar town.
Besides, there were several irregularities in the hiring of a total of 21 vehicles by the MCK including the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Municipal Commissioner and other officials of the MCK.
Under the Right To Information Act (RTI), a whistle-blower Bandi Srinivas exposed several irregularities in the hiring the vehicles from the private travel agencies by the officials of MCK. Responding to the RTI Act petition filed by the whistle-blower, the MCK had stated that they had been hiring 21 cars from different travel agencies as per the general body resolution number 1342 dated March 31, 2022 and resolution number 1562 dated June 30, 2022. The MCK was paying Rs 33,000 per month as rent for each car as per the government circular number 826/29/A2/ DCM/2017 dated June 16, 2027.
The whistle-blower stated that the information provided by the MCK under the RTI Act and the actual vehicles being used by the authorities was not matched. The MCK stated that the Mayor was using AP 07 Y 5488 vehicle. But, the Mayor was using his own vehicle of TS 02 EQ 7227. The vehicle number AP 07 Y 5488 was having e-challans of Rs 10,570 and its fitness and insurance were completed till 2020. He asked how the first citizen of the Karimnagar town could travel in the vehicle which was unfit for usage. He also wanted to know who was using the vehicle number AP07 Y 5488 allocated to the Mayor and who was claiming the bill.
Similarly, Mr Bandi Srinivas also stated that MCK had informed that the Municipal Commissioner was using TS 22 T 1239 vehicle. But, the fact is that the Municipal Commissioner was using a new Innova car. Alleging misappropriation of funds to the tune of lakhs of rupees in the name of use of hired vehicles, the RTI activist demanded that the government should order for a thorough inquiry into the irregularities and recover the amount from the people who siphoned off the public exchequer.
