A report in DNA ( 26/5/2011) states that 30 percent of the cost of a flat in Mumbai goes towards the bribes to various people. Bribe is not exactly a revelation for all the flat buyers in Mumbai. However, the extent of the bribe is shocking. The next question is, what is the government doing about it? The report says bulk of the money goes to the officials of the BMC's Building and Proposals and the officials of who are in charge of TDR in MHADA.
What prevents the Government of Maharashtra and the Municipal Commissioner of BMC to put all proposals, all approvals, all conditions, rules and regulations on the website of BMC? What prevents the government to ask all the officials to file an annual report on their assets and that of their close relatives on the website? What prevents the Income Tax department from scrutinizing the income and assets of these officials? Then there is the anti-corruption only means there is strong political patronage. Can we appeal the Bombay High Court to intervene?
We, the citizens, have to fight to appoint an Ombudsman ( lokayukta) for BMC. Where is Mumbai's Anna Hazare? Can we make it an issue in the coming municipal election? Here is a challenge and an opportunity to the civil society groups in Mumbai.
May 26,2011.
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