DCC fails to provide services to city dwellers
Staff Correspondent
Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) fails to provide services to city dwellers as most of its officials are corrupt and misappropriate money of various projects despite their excuse that proper services cannot be given due to manpower and resource shortage.
Many projects are implemented under the supervision of DCC officials and they are to work maintaining close relation with ruling party’s political leaders and soon after assuming power by a political government, all official activities become influenced by it. As part of political influence, the Chief Executive of DCC, Nurul Haque has replaced by Mohammed Alauddin.
Sources said tenders conducted by the DCC for various projects are participated in by its own engineers. Associating with each other, they loot a huge amount of public money and make themselves millionaire within a very short time.
Another source said that a large amount of money for various development projects to the city’s slum dwel-lers comes from domestic and international donor age-ncies. “If a small portion of that fund is used properly, fate of slum dwellers would be changed a little bit. Around 12 lakhs slum dwellers are passing inhuman life and all projects taken by the government to upgrade the life style of slum dwellers have already ended as no more development project is being taken by DCC to lessen their sufferings.”
While visiting DCC, this reporter found that Secretary to the DCC, Administrative officer of Health Service and Head of Department of Cleaning was not in office and Head of Estate Depar-tment was reluctant to talk to this reporter.
Talking to this correspondent, an official of DCC said “It is a strange place; even if some one is placed from heaven, it will not be possible for him to ensure services for the people without changing its employees’ corruption-oriented attitude. A constructive and structural changes and political influence free environment are needed to reduce corruption from here,” he said.
A group of people coming to the DCC for various purposes said “Officials and employees of DCC always harass us without any reason. No work can be done there without giving bribe to the officials. Most of the officials working there are millionaires.”
Around 15 million people living in the city are facing difficulties like water, electricity, housing, unemployment, drainage, health services and sanitation problem due to DCC’s mismanagement and corruption. Out of total, 23 per cent people are unemployed and 55 per cent are living below poverty line respectively. Some 3115 buildings under city corporation area have been built in unplanned way but DCC’s role in this regard was not conspicuous.
Besides, 30 per cent elite people are owner of 80 per cent lands in the city and 70 per cent poor people are living at residential areas in city located at 20 per cent of total lands.
It may be mentioned that including TK 527.51 crore collected as revenue the total budget of DCC for the present fiscal is TK 1009.41 crore and the present fiscal is going to be end without any improvement of the life of city dwellers.n
Courtesy: thebangladeshtoday.com
