Local Bodies Dept seeks report

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, August 14

The Local Bodies Department has sought a report on the corruption charges against the MC officials in the illegal buildings issue in the city.

In the letter (No. 13/206/2017-2 SS I dated July 17, 2017) written to the MC Commissioner, it has been stated to immediately send his report about the corruption charges against MCB officials to the state government so that further action can be taken in this matter.

Local NGO Punjab Human Rights Committee general secretary Ved Parkash Gupta in his press statement stated that he had submitted a complaint about the large number of illegal buildings constructed in Bathinda city in connivance with the MCB officials. Particularly a two storey building was illegal constructed in Hanuman chowk.

Ved Parkash Gupta also claimed that earlier he had written a complaint to Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and after which an inquiry was initiated by SDM, Bathinda, Sakshi Sahwney and even statement of the complainant was recorded by the SDM, but the enquiry was stopped midway for the reason best known to the government.

Gupta has further claimed that he again brought this matter to the notice of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh who directed the complaint to the local bodies department for immediate action.

Even a copy of that letter sent to MCB Commissioner was also sent to him for information, he had claimed.

It is pertinent to mention that Ved Parkash Gupta had lodged a complaint over illegal buildings and SDM Sakshi Sahwney had initiated a probe.

The SDM had asked Ved Parkash Gupta to submit his statement, which was done on May 26.

Thereafter, the SDM had requested the Deputy Commissioner to shift the inquiry to the Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB).

Ved Parkash Gupta had written a letter to Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu to order the district administration to take the inquiry to its logical end soon.

Deputy Commissioner Diprava Lakra had stated that he had forwarded the inquiry to MCB Commissioner Sanyam Aggarwal. I spoke with him over the issue. Aggarwal said there were many illegal buildings in the city. In the coming days, a joint exercise against the illegal buildings would be started by MCB.

Gupta, in his complaint, had stated that hundreds of illegal buildings had been constructed in the city in connivance with some corrupt officers of the civic body.

Repeated attempts were made to contact MCB commissioner Sanyam Aggarwal on this issue, but his phone remained unreachable.

Complaint

• Local NGO Punjab Human Rights Committee general secretary Ved Parkash Gupta in his press statement stated that he had submitted a complaint about the large number of illegal buildings constructed in Bathinda city in connivance with the MCB officials.