Tussle over HB office space hots up as ex-excise mantri remains defiant

Hyderabad: Uncertainty continued over the fate of 1,200 sqft of office space at Gruhakalpa complex in Nampally, as Telangana Housing Board and former Excise Minister V Srinivas Goud locked horns. The development comes after Board officials ‘terminated’ the 33 years of lease period, citing ‘violation’ of terms of agreement.

Following the latest elections of TGOs (Telangana Gazetted Officers) Association in February, the new body while applying for fresh lease of the office space for the organisation also wrote to the Housing Board to take back the possession of the building block housing the TGOs office. Distancing itself from Srinivas Goud, the new body alleged that the Association never utilised the space but for whims and fancies of former Minister who sometime back also ran a youtube channel named ‘Jai Telangana’.

“We have been utilising only two floors of this building, while the top floor (3rd floor) has remained under the possession of Srinivas Goud. Being self-proclaimed chairman of Association, he utilised the top floor for his personal use all these years since 2013. While writing to give Association a fresh lease we have asked the Housing Board to take back the possession of 3rd floor, as Srinivas now does not represent the Association,” informed a representative of TGOs.

The Housing Board officials, while acknowledging the 33-years of lease period struck in 2013, held that Srinivas Goud violated the terms of agreement over utilisation of the premises, hence the lease offer was ‘terminated’. Even though there remains no dues, the activities such as ‘Educational’ should have continued under the aegis of TGOs, but the board found deviation from the original purpose.

The Housing Board has sent at least two notices till now to the former Minister to clear the premises, but he responded with a caveat and warned that he would be challenging the decision of lease’s cancellation in the courts. “The first notice was sent in the month of January and later in February we sent another notice besides sealing the premises. The new association has claimed that he (Srinivas Goud) has no concern with TGOs and its activities, hence entire premises were handed over to us. For now 2-floors are under consideration for allotting to the new body. While we are waiting to fight it out legally for the 3rd-floor, if the former Minister approaches Court to stake claims,” said a higher official of Housing Board. The Hans India found the sealed floor continued to have all the furniture and computer and other related equipment, even as the lock remained sealed dated February 29.