Improvement Trust gets rap for staff quota allotment

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, January 1 

The Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) has drawn flak from the government for going ahead with allotment of residential plots to its employees and officials under the employees’ quota in clear violation of the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in two different writ petitions. On the intervention of the Local Government Department, Punjab, the LIT authorities have stayed the draw with an undertaking that no further action would be taken on the allotment process. 

The Tribune, in its issue dated December 29, 2016, had reported that the LIT had held the draw for allotment of 73 residential plots varying in size from 40 to 500 square yards under the 2 per cent employees quota in violation of the directions issued by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in two civil writ petitions (7784 of year 2006 and 4205 of year 2010). Citing certain employees of the Trust, the news report also said the allotment process, apart from being in violation of the HC directions, was even otherwise not ‘above board.’

Taking serious note of the action of the LIT authorities, the Local Government Department sought explanation from the LIT top brass as to how the allotment of plots under employees’ quota was taken up when the HC had imposed a stay order on all such allotments. 

A top official of the Local Bodies Department told The Tribune (on the phone) that on the instructions of the Additional Chief Secretary, Local Government, Punjab, an explanation was sought from the LIT authorities on this issue while apprising them of the directions issued by the High Court in two civil writ petitions. “The LIT had taken the stand that it was not aware of the stay imposed by the High Court on the allotment of plots under the employees’ quota,” said the official, adding that the reply submitted by the Trust officials were being examined to ascertain whether any action was warranted against the erring LIT officials.

LIT Executive Officer, Paramajit Singh, said the Local Government Department had intervened in the matter. “Now that we have been told about the stay imposed by the High Court on all such allotments, the allotment process has been put in abeyance and no further action would be taken in this regard,” he said.