Officials posted in BBN told to collect Rs 38 lakh from investors

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, May 22

Various officials posted in the state’s industrial area of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) have been assigned the task of collecting Rs 38 lakh from investors here for the three-day Shoolini fair celebrated in June every year.

A list of 20 officials from various departments, including Excise and Taxation, Industries, Labour, Drug Control Administration, Family and Health Welfare, Public Works Department (PWD), Irrigation and Public Health (IPH), Electricity, Pollution Control Board, Forest, Mining, Food and Civil Supplies (FCS), Revenue, Town and Country Planning, Block Development Office, Regional Transport Authority, Animal Husbandry and National Highways Authority have been directed to collect the amount for the fair.

The task has been systematically chalked out with a list containing both landline and mobile numbers of officers and their respective targets being made available in various offices for comparison.

“This is not the first time that investors in the state’s industrial hub have been asked to contribute. The exercise is an annual feature. Other cultural festivals held across the state put officers serving in the BBN area under similar pressure,” an official confided.

With the industrial package having been lapsed and investment declining, investors were not enthusiastic in making voluntary contributions for such festivals. They were also finding it difficult to contribute for various Centrally sponsored public private partnership-mode projects.

Terming it as an exorbitant amount another officer said: “The expenditure on such fairs should be reduced as investors are compelled to pay through their nose.”

The expenditure is worked out on the recommendations of a committee, where the Deputy Commissioner plays a key role.

Factors such as fee charged by known artists who would perform during the fair, their boarding, lodging, payments given to local artists and other arrangements are taken into account while working out the expenditure.

According to the list available with The Tribune, officers have been assigned to get money ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 7 lakh.

Deputy Director, Industries, has been given a target of Rs 7 lakh, while Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Baddi, Labour Officer and Drug Controller have been assigned to get a sum of Rs 5 lakh each.

DFO, Senior Veterinary Officer; SDO National Highways Authority; Nalagarh BDO; executive engineers of the IPH and PWD have been assigned the lowest target of Rs 50,000.

Executive Engineer of the State Pollution Control Board; Tehsildar Baddi and Assistant Town Planner, Nalagarh would have to collect Rs 2 lakh each as per the enlisted targets.

Nalagarh Tehsildar would collect Rs 1 lakh, Mining Inspector Rs 1.5 lakh and Inspector FCS has to collect Rs 70,000.

Deputy Commissioner Madan Chauhan was not available for comments.