HYDERABAD: Union Minister G Kishan Reddy flew into a rage at Hyderabad District Collector L Sharman and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Commissioner DS Lokesh Kumar for skipping his review meeting of the District Development, Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA), here on Thursday.
While taking up issues on the agenda, the Minister found that both the officials were missing when he wanted clarification on the status of certain works in Hyderabad. When the lower officials told him that they were out attending other important meetings, he asked them whether any other meeting is more important than an official one that a minister and an MP is chairing.
At one stage, he put his mask back on and pushed aside the wad of papers with agenda items on them, saying that he would not conduct the meeting unless the two officials attend it. “The Collector convenes the meeting after issuing notices to all officials and for strange reasons, he does not attend it. Similarly, the Municipal Commissioner, too, abstains. Why are you afraid of attending a meeting which has been organised as per the statutes? Do not live in fear (of the ruling party). If you do not attend the meeting, with whom do I discuss the issues and how would you be able to implement them?” he asked.
When he sought to know the status of Basthi Dawakhanas, a lower-level official responded. The Minister then asked: “Where is your Municipal Commissioner? Why is he not here?” The official mumbled a reply that he was attending an important meeting. Visibly annoyed, Kishan Reddy wondered what message the officials were sending to the people by acting frivolously and not showing even scant interest in review meetings. Learning about the Minister seething with rage, the two officials came running to the venue. After their arrival, the Minister conducted the meeting and surprisingly, he did not pull them up but took up the items on the agenda.