'Pressed' MCH top brass feels the heat

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, JUNE 21. It's no longer an inert sleepy leviathan. These days it reacts and reacts fiercely - but for wrong reasons. Authorities at the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad are cut up with the `bad press' they are getting in the wake of the Bholanagar tragedy and the Talwar building clutter.

They feel the Fourth Estate is out to paint the MCH with the darkest brush when it has thrice secured the `Clean City' award. And so, the press has suddenly become a taboo. The top brass wouldn't like to speak as what it wants to be written is never `reported'. "You all write yellow articles and blame the MCH for everything", said a senior official on Thursday, pleading anonymity.

The civic authorities are sore that the corporation has become the whipping boy for everything that goes awry in the city. Their argument is that for the countless unauthorised constructions, the town planning section is not solely responsible. There are other players too - Ministers, builders, press, goondas, etc. "Why don't you expose them?" asked an official.

Call a spade a spade - only if you are prepared for personalised attack. A senior official didn't stop at venting his spleen against what he felt an `unfair criticism' by the media. He drew pleasure in passing caustic remarks about how the sons and daughters of presspersons dream of getting into IAS cadre. The officer's outburst was obviously a sequel to the bureaucrats being termed `babus' in a section of the press.

The Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, never tires of swearing by transparency and encourages media to point out mistakes, if any. But for the MCH, criticism means only `praise'.

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Section  : Southern States
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