HYDERABAD: Upset over being denied an opportunity to conduct MCH's Standing Committee meeting last week due to lack of quorum, Deputy Mayor G. Subash Chanderji has sought changes in the Hyderabad Municipal Act to punish the `wilfully absent' members.

"Never in MCH history was a Standing Committee meeting adjourned thrice when clearances were to be given to important and pending issues like clearing survey for minor storm water drains and tenders for roads," he said.

The Deputy Mayor was forced to adjourn the meetings as only two members — one Congress and another Telugu Desam member — turned up when at least five members of the 10-member panel should attend for the quorum.

The Majlis has six members followed by three of the TDP and one of the Congress. Mr. Chanderji got the rare chance of presiding the meeting as ex-officio Chairman as Mayor T. Krishna Reddy was on a tour to Japan. He released a letter written to Municipal Administration Secretary S.P. Singh to presspersons seeking changes in HMC Act to overlook quorum issues on Sunday.

"Members even ignored the notices issued reminding them of the meeting," he bemoaned.

Cause for reluctance

Even while claiming he was unaware why members were reluctant to attend the meeting, he dropped enough hints to suggest that politics took precedence over development issues. "After elections we should strive to solve public problems irrespective of party affiliations unfortunately that has not happened here. I was to be the presiding and not deciding authority," he said. The BJP leader pointed out he had no problems in attending ward committee meetings dominated by the MIM.

Disqualification

Existing HMC Act had provision to disqualify members absent for three consecutive meetings and similar binding should be incorporated for Standing Committee too. Due to adjournments, the absentee members had also violated the rule to clear all issues before the panel within 15 days, he added.

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