Bribe case effect: Chandigarh Mayor forms committee to probe health wing cases

Sandeep Rana

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Chandigarh, September 3

Amid an alleged tiff with Municipal Corporation Commissioner Anindita Mitra, Mayor Anup Gupta has constituted a six-member committee of councillors to probe the suspension/termination and reinstatement of employees in the Medical Officer of Health (MOH) wing of the MC in the past one year.

Recently, the CBI had arrested two officials of the MOH wing in a bribery case.

However, the committee is to be finally stamped by the Commissioner, who is on a 10-day leave. “I have formed a six-member committee. All party councillors as well as nominated ones have been included in it. The names will be sent to the Commissioner once she returns, as an officer or two will also be made part of the committee,” said the Mayor while talking to Chandigarh Tribune.

He said the panel would examine the reasons for firing or reinstating employees in the MOH wing. The committee will also deliberate on what were the yardsticks behind those moves.

During Tuesday’s meeting of the MC House, Gupta had declared that a committee would be formed. A demand in this regard was raised by councillors cutting across party lines. The councillors had questioned how it was possible that supervisory officer or officers were not involved in the case of paying bribe in lieu of reinstating an employee.

While the Commissioner had refused to entertain the demand for forming the committee to “inquire into the role of senior officers” in the corruption case, citing they are not named in the CBI case. The Mayor, however, had firmly said, “The committee will be formed tomorrow.”

The same day when the House meeting was held, the Commissioner had ring-fenced Rs 282 crore for solid and liquid waste management as per the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directions. Her move implied no new tenders would be floated except emergency works, and only salaries and committed liabilities would be taken care of till December-end.

The very next day, Mitra went on a 10-day leave, though the Mayor claimed it was a scheduled leave.

The day the order regarding setting aside funds for waste management appeared in the papers, Gupta met the UT Administrator and Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit, and requested him to ensure no development works were stopped. Sources said the Mayor requested Purohit to ensure sufficient funds so that the process of floating new tenders for development works was not halted. However, the Mayor denied any tiff with Mitra.

The sources said the two have had good relations till recently, but the issue of two employees’ transfer started to have an impact on their ties. From there on, things kept getting worse.

Will need Commissioner’s nod

The committee is to be finally stamped by the MC Commissioner, who is on a 10-day leave. “All party councillors as well as nominated ones have been included in the committee. The names will be sent to the Commissioner once she returns, as an officer or two will also be made part of the committee,” said the Mayor.