The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Sarma clips Jaju's wings

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Sarma clips Jaju's wings

Special Correspondent

Divests him of many powers

HYDERABAD: In a sweeping move, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Commissioner C.V.S.K. Sarma divested the Special Commissioner Sanjay Jaju of several powers and assigned him relatively insignificant responsibilities.

In unambiguous orders that were issued late on Monday night, Mr. Jaju was entrusted with the tasks of urban community development, elections, health and sanitation and solid waste management. Further, his cheque-signing authority was also clipped to a large extent, leaving him with the power to sanction only works costing less than Rs. 10 lakhs.

All the Additional Commissioners - Projects and Planning, Traffic and Transportation, Works - Zonal Commissioners and Deputy Municipal Commissioners would henceforth report directly to Mr. Sarma.

Power-sharing row

There has been a controversy over sharing of powers in the GHMC top brass ever since Dr. Sarma was drafted to one of the biggest civic bodies in the country and the `power game' veritably got crystallised with these sweeping orders.

Mr. Jaju was handed over routine administrative matters like sanction of medical reimbursement and pensions and kept away from the all-important assignment of transfers and promotions, which would be dealt with by the Commissioner himself. Mr. Jaju was asked to handle only promotions pertaining to lower-level staff like Lower Division Clerks and Superintendents.

"Revision of electoral rolls, ward delimitation and preparing for the conduct of elections to GHMC at an early date are enormous tasks and the Special Commissioner should bestow utmost interest and effort in that direction. They require special plans," the GHMC Commissioner said in the orders. The orders further noted that Mr. Jaju should appraise Dr. Sarma periodically on the matters.

Having returned from his trip to United States with Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, the Commissioner carried out an elaborate exercise to finalise the administrative set-up and officials for key tasks for over a week now. He is said to have had second thoughts on the issue of delegation of powers and had even kept an earlier order on the issue in abeyance.

Dr. Sarma also held discussions with his senior staff at the head office and erstwhile commissioners manning the 12 municipalities that have been aligned into the corporation.

The Government has proposed to divide GHMC into five zones, 18 circles and 150 wards.

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