1. Municipal Administration department (stopping water tariff hike)
In the press meet with Managing Director has stated that the Board’s monthly revenue was 36.5 crores while the expenditure was 52.50 crores, thus there is a gap of 16 crores per month. To make break even the Board has no other option except to increase the rates. In the process water supplied to slums and poor (consuming below 15 k/m) were not spared. There are mounting dues from government departments and commercial establishments amounting to 520 crores. If these dues are collected there is no need to hike the water rates at least for coming two years. The quality of water supplied is causing concern. The middle class, government offices, the rich, never drink the tap water (so called protected water) supplied by water board. Today the mineral water firms have a flourishing business in the city. The people who can afford are going for water cans (20 liters) supplied by companies like Bibo etc. The others have fixed small water purifiers in their houses. It is only the slum dwellers who use the tap water as it is. It is reported that more than 1.5 lakh illegal connections are existing in the city. Such large scale pilferage cannot happen without willing co-operation of concerned staff. Lakhs of families are drawing water without any meter. Water board messed up in procurement of meters and not able to fix the meters.
I have a strong objection for the proposed move to hike water tariff especially to industries as it in turn effect their cost of production which the industrialists pass on to consumers i.e. the common man. This is in similar to the high rates of power tariff is shown by the water board as a reason to increase water tariff.
Keeping all these factors in view we request the M.D. water board to kindly concentrate on collection of pending dues, rather than increasing the rates of water supply. Forum for Good Governance took the initiation to stop the water tax on people.
2. Electoral reform
Many criminal cases pending on public representatives (M.L.A., M.P. & MLC’s). But many a times, due to lack of verification mechanism. Criminalization of politics is a serious threat to our democracy. Presenting people with criminal background entering into parliament and assemblies is the need of the hour. In this regard Forum for Good Governance made an attempt to collect information. Details were collected from the affidavits filed by the candidates. The data was released to press. Which all the papers published prominently. We have also addressed Election Commissions of India for speedy disposal of cases.Constituency Development Programme (C.D.P) in MPLAD and Constituency Development Programme (MLA’s) funds are not properly spend and they are not achieving the desired results. Information was collected by filling R.T.I. application and analyzed. Representation was made to Commissioner Secretary and the information was released to people through press briefings.
3. Indiramma Houses
Government have taken up Indiramma housing programme to provide “Pakka House’s” and other basic amenities in a saturation mode to improve the living standards of people in rural areas. The scheme started during the year 2007 and provided houses to millions of people, but some irregularities crept in due to various reasons and funds flow discontinued.
The end of 2013-14 there were still 4,67,832 houses at different stages of construction and amount spent on the unfurnished houses so far was Rs. 1128.31 crores. To complete the in progress 4,67,832 houses an amount Rs. 2469.69 crores was required. But somehow the new government was not interested to provide funds to unfinished houses.
Forum for Good Governance filled a P.I.L requesting the hon’able high court to pass orders for providing funds to complete the incomplete house. The court agreed with the request of F.G.G and passed orders. During last two years required funds were released and lakhs of unfinished houses are being attended and completed.
4. Stay on Irregular constructions
Illegal constructions have become a big problem in Hyderabad. Unfortunately, successive governments have not taken seriously of these unauthorized constructions. Government of Telangana issued G.O. Ms.146, M.A. & U.D., dated 31-10-2015, G.O. Ms. No. 152 M.A. & U.D. dated 2-11-2015 and G.O Ms No. 901 M.A & U.D., dated 31-12-2007 proposing to regularize illegal constructions. Forum for Good Governance collected all information through R.T.I. and filed a P.I.L in High Court for stay on the regularization of irregular constructions.
5. Eliminating the ineligible Information Commissioners
The State Chief Information Commissioner (S.C.I.C) and Information Commissioners (I.C) shall be appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of a committee consisting of Chief Minister, Leader of the opposition in the Legislative Assembly and a Cabinet Minister nominated by the Chief Minister. This there committee selects the SCIC and Information Commissioners. The committee prepared the details of the 8 persons who are applied for the post of SIC. Selection process was made without any proper exercise to consider the various applications received for the post of S.C.I.C.
Sec 15(4,5) of R.T.I Act prescribes qualifications for appointment of S.C.I.C and S.I.C which says “ The State Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioners shall be persons of eminence in public life with wide knowledge and experience in law, science and technology, social service, management, journalism, mass media or administration and governance.” The wording of this section makes it clear that S.C.I.C and I.Cs should be drawn from a wide range of persons of professional backgrounds, including governance and administration, not only form governance and administration. Presently, an overwhelming majority of S.C.I.Cs and I.Cs are from governance and administration backgrounds and very few “persons of eminence in public life with wide knowledge and experience in law, science and technology, social service, management, journalism, mass media” are being appointed.
The government did not follow the procedure and appointed commissioner much against rules. Forum for Good Governance file P.I.L in High Court, the court set aside the appointment 4 State Information Commissioners. Government went into appeal, there also Forum for Good Governance represented the case and hon’able supreme court agreeing the contention of F.G.G has set aside the appointment of 4 State Information Commissioners. This case fought for 5 years has sent a clear message to all the state governments to follow sec 15 (4,5) of R.T.I. Act.