‘Local Bodies Dept delays probe into wrongdoings’

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 16

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has accused the Department of Local Bodies of adopting a dilly-dallying approach towards the probe into the controversial issue of handing over a portion of the historic Ram Bagh to a private firm. The party claims that the move was a violation of the norms. They demanded an immediate intervention of Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu.

AAP leader Ravinder Kumar Sultanwind at a press conference here today said, “We had sought information regarding the status of the complaint filed by us with the Department of Local Bodies against handing over the Children’s Park and Zoo to private hands. But the department failed to provide it.”

He was accompanied by Prof HS Walia, Rajesh and Satpal Sohi. According to him, he filed an appeal before the first appellant authority later. “Instead for providing information, I was summoned to appear before it on January 10. Interestingly, the department issued the letter through simple post on January 19. As per the norms, the first appellant authority cannot summon the applicant. This has been done only to delay the process,” he said.

Sultanwind had filed a complaint over the issue with Navjot Singh Sidhu in June 2017. He had marked a probe by the vigilance wing of the department but nothing happened so far. He said this forced him to file an RTI application to know the status of the complaint.

A controversy had erupted over the issue of handing over a portion of Ram Bagh to a private firm in October 2016. Residents had protested while MC officials had termed it as a violation of norms. The park was allegedly handed over to a private firm under the influence of a cabinet minister at that time.

What the case is

• A controversy had erupted over the issue of handing over a portion of Ram Bagh to a private firm in October 2016. 
• Residents had opposed the move claiming it to be a violation of norms.
• Local Bodies Department had marked a probe into it.
• AAP claims there has been no progress into the case as the department is dilly-dallying over replying to an RTI query regarding the same.