Panchkula Municipal Commissioner shifted

Rajinder Nagarkoti

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, May 18

After the Punjab and Haryana High Court rap, the Haryana Government today transferred Panchkula MC Commissioner Lalit Siwach.

Siwach has been transferred as the Regional Transport Authority (RTA), Panchkula. The government has appointed Shaleen, a 2012-batch IAS officer posted as the ADC, Yamunanagar, as the new Panchkula MC Commissioner.

On May 15, the High Court had issued a notice to Siwach asking him to show cause why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him for not complying with the court orders. Justice Amit Rawal had even observed in the open courtroom, “What for is he the Commissioner? He should be transferred far off”.

Siwach and Panchkula Mayor Upinder Kaur Ahluwalia were at loggerheads from the day the former joined as MC Commissioner. Both had sent a number of complaints against each other to senior officials and even to Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. The Mayor had even approached the High Court.

Pankaj Kumar is  P’kula SDM

Pankaj Kumar, an HCS officer posted as the Joint Director (Administration), Industries and Commerce, has been appointed the SDM, Panchkula, and will also hold the charge of the Joint Commissioner of the MC.

‘I sought transfer’ 

”During my tenure in Panchkula as the MC Commissioner, I tried my level best to set the things in order but there was an acute shortage of staff. Moreover, the work atmosphere was deteriorating day by day. I had requested the competent authority for my transfer.”

Lalit Siwach, shifted MC Commissioner 

‘Thankful to govt’  

”I am thankful to the Haryana Government for the transfer of Siwach but this order should have been issued much earlier. During Siwach’s tenure, no developmental work took place and the public suffered the most.”

Upinder Ahluwalia, Mayor

‘No comments’   

”The orders have been issued by the Haryana Government. I would not like to comment on the issue.”

Gian Chand Gupta, Panchkula MLA

Mayor versus MC Commissioner 

On September 21, 2016, Lalit Siwach wrote to the then Divisional Commissioner of Ambala, Ankur Gupta. Gupta sent a show-cause notice to the Mayor under Section 37-A of the Municipal Corporation Act over grievances filed by civic staffers, who had complained that they were being pressured over some works.

The Mayor appealed to the Punjab and Haryana High Court against Ankur Gupta, Lalit Siwach, Kalka MLA Latika Sharma and Panchkula MLA Gian Chand Gupta for obstructing her “cause of promoting transparency in the corporation”.