More than six months after the elected body’s term lapsed, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is yet to collect back laptops and printers that were given to the former corporators.
In 2010, laptops and printers apart from costs towards Internet and consumables were given to all the 150 corporators.
The move resulted in the civic body incurring an expense of around Rs.88.60 lakh with each laptop costing around Rs.35,000 and nearly Rs.9,000 for the printer.
While the term of the GHMC Council lapsed in December 2014, corporators had not returned these items so far.
According to officials, the GHMC Commissioner and Special Officer, Somesh Kumar, recently tried to pursue the matter and notices were also sent asking them to deposit the laptops and printers back.
Response of corporators
Some of the former corporators were said to have responded to the notices offering the excuse that the goods were well beyond five years of age.
“It was maintained that the laptops and printers were past their usage period and in most cases were not in good working condition,” disclosed an official, on condition of anonymity.
Another official pointed out that an electronic item “After five years would have to be treated as scrap material” only but quickly hastened to add, “even if it is a scrap item, it belongs to the civic body and hence ideally should be returned”.
Failure of former corporators in returning laptops and printers has drawn criticism from civic society and secretary, United Federation of Residents Welfare Association-Alwal, Ashwin Nallari Naidu, sought steps to recover them.
“All these should be recovered from 150 ex-corporators and if the condition of gadgets is not good, then they should be penalised and amounts recovered,” he demanded.
