|
Netizens may
love to anoint Hyderabad as Cyberabad. But its inhabitants think the city
government is reeking with corruption. If the residents of Delhi, Lucknow,
Ahmedabad, Chennai and Pune reflect a slightly better opinion of their
local governments it is only in contrast to what the Hyderabadis think
about their government.
In each of these six cities, the departments dealing with driving license
and ration cards are perceived as most corrupt.
The urban development authority and the electricity and telephone
departments are, in many cases, seen as only a step behind.
And, on an average, one in every two persons has at one point or the other
greased a palm to get his work done.
Not surprisingly, it is the politician who tops the charts for fuelling
corruption except in Hyderabad where the “officer” is pulled out of
the shadow and held accountable.
These are among the findings of the first-ever survey done to map the
level and extent of corruption.
Although the exercise, conducted by Centre of Media Studies, is confined
to six cities and six public utility services, it reflects the
stranglehold of the phenomenon that cuts across social and geographic
barriers, as indicated in the selection of cities and samples.
Billed to be an annual exercise, the CMS survey clearly intends to turn
“social auditing’ into a buzzword of the near future as it traces its
inspiration to Chief Vigilance commissioner N.Vittal’s initiatives
against corruption.
The survey, based on a sample of 900 between October 31 and November
4,2000 on the eve of the nation-wide Vigilance Awareness Week through
“Exit Polls”. People visiting public offices during this period were
included in the survey.
The offices covered included the urban development authority, city
government, electricity, telephone, driving license and ration card/civil
supplies departments.
Hindustan
Times 12-1-2001
LEVEL OF
CORRUPTION: CITIES AND DEPARTMENTS
| (In percentage) |
Urban
Dev. Authority |
City
Govt. |
Electricity |
Telephone |
Drive Licence |
Ration Card |
| Delhi |
51 |
46 |
53 |
43 |
72 |
72 |
| Lucknow |
62 |
45 |
66 |
25 |
83 |
57 |
| Chennai |
54 |
52 |
65 |
64 |
86 |
80 |
| Hyderabad |
56 |
68 |
54 |
45 |
86 |
82 |
| Pune |
23 |
45 |
36 |
28 |
67 |
59 |
| Ahemdabad |
82 |
- |
40 |
- |
- |
33 |
What
Delhiites say
* Two-thirds of those interviewed believe corruption in Delhi is
“real” and not exaggerated. Forty per cent admitted to having given a
bribe. An equal number admit having got their work done through
middlemen’.
* Two-third visitors to the Delhi Vidyut Board think it is corrupt; 70 per
cent feel the same about the civil supply office; nearly half of those who
visited MCD and DDA offices think likewise. Forty per cent hold the same
opinion about MTNL.
* Sixty per cent think judiciary is not able to tackle corruption cases
due to outdated laws. Fifty-five per cent feel that corruption in public
offices is not dealt with seriously.
* Politicians and officers are considered as responsible for corruption in
public utility services.
* More than 60 per cent visitors to these offices were not aware of the
Vigilance Awareness Week during which the survey was conducted. |
