Civic body officials under vigilance lens

Tribune News Service

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Dera Bassi, January 29

Local Municipal Council officials came under the scanner with the vigilance wing of the Local Bodies Department, Punjab, initiating inquiries in an alleged scam worth crores of rupees in different civil works undertaken in the municipal limits here in the past couple of years.

This has not only exposed the nexus between the elected/former municipal councillors and officials of the civic body, but also raised doubts over the role of the local political leaders involved in the scam.

Acting on written complaints of Ankit Jain, a resident of Morniwala Khuh, Ward No 6, Dera Bassi, the vigilance wing of the department has started investigations in the case.

A senior vigilance officer revealed that the department had entertained the complaint on the directions of top brass of the department. “We have started investigations in the case”, he claimed.

Jain claimed to have complained to the Punjab Chief Minister; Minister of Local Government, Punjab; Chief Secretary; and director of the department; regarding the misappropriation of public money blatantly by the officials of the Municipal Council in connivance with the former municipal councillors and certain political leaders.

He said to have sought information from the Municipal Council under the RTI Act on various civil works taken up in the past five years, amount spent on them and if the rules and guidelines of the Punjab Municipal Act were followed during the allocation and execution of these works. Jain claimed to have sought information on points from the Municipal Council and even deposited Rs 50,000 for getting their copies of documents sought.

He said the MC did not provide him information even after three months, following which he had to complain to the CM and other senior officials of the Local Bodies Department. “The MC officials have misused public money in crores by allocating works either to some municipal councillors or their close associates,” he alleged.