Hyderabad: Hyderabad Mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshm held a meeting on the recent cancellations of over 31000 fake certificates by the GHMC (Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation),
She enquired with the GHMC commissioner Lokesh Kumar and other officials over the release of certificates without verification.
She directed officials to take strict action against the erring AMOHs, statistical officers (SO) and Mee Seva operators involved in this illegal activity.
GHMC on Monday invalidated thousands of birth and death certificates that were issued to over 31,000 people with no proper investigation.
GHMC officials have been quoted blaming Mee Seva centres for the irregularity in a large number of certificates issued without verification of the revenue divisional officer (RDO).
Hyderabad: GHMC cancels thousands of birth, death certificates
However, Lokesh Kumar said that notices will be sent to all applicants whose birth and death certificates were cancelled.
“Applicants will have to upload their applications again. We have found that such certificates have been uploaded in all 15 Meeseva Kendras. The appointment of 12 operatives in the birth and death certificate issuance department was not done in the roster system. We will investigate it. We have issued more than 4.30 lakh birth and death certificates after starting the online system in July 2021,” briefed the commissioner.
The scam came to light only when some of those who obtained such certificates started besieging the local municipal offices when their documents were not accepted by government departments.
A large number of certificates were found in Mehdipatnam. In the circle, 5877 GHMC birth and 240 death certificates were found to be fake.
While in the Charminar circle, 3949 birth and 249 death certificates were found to be fake, and 1839 birth and 220 death certificates were obtained fraudulently in the Charminar circle.
Probe launched
The vigilance wing of the GHMC has launched a probe into the matter while identifying officials, including the assistant medical officer of health (AMOH) and data operators, involved in the discrepancies.
Vigilance officials reportedly said that they soon will submit a report to the GHMC commissioner with names of all officials from across five different circle offices, involved in making these fake certificates.
In its preliminary report submitted to the GHMC commissioner, the vigilance wing mentioned the names of some of the officials. The commissioner is expected to issue orders to repatriate many of the AMOHs and SOs back to their home department and recommend action against them for their misconduct.
The wing is expected to submit a detailed report by the end of the month.
BJP seeks clarification
Meanwhile, bringing the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) into the crosshairs, BJP deputy floor leader and Mansoorabad corporator Koppula Narsimha Reddy demanded immediate answers from Vijayalakshmi, GHMC and Telangana IT minister KT Rama Rao.
He claimed that honest officers are being side-lined following the staff appointed at the behest of the BRS and AIMIM.
He further alleged that the issued fake certificates could pose a massive challenge to national security.
