Lokayukta for inquiry against 5 officers

Mukesh Tandon

Tribune News Service

Panipat, December 9

Lokayukta Justice NK Aggarwal has recommended to the state government to initiate a discreet inquiry against five bureaucrats, including three IAS officers, for not taking action against illegal cnstruction of 22 shops on land reserved forthe EWS category here.

The three IAS officers are a former Panipat DC, then HSVP Chief Administrator and HSVP Administrator in Rohtak. The other two under lens are former estate officers of the HSVP.

The Lokayukta also called for stern action and punishment against those found guilty during the inquiry. He sought an action-taken report within three months. Justice Aggarwal passed the order on a complaint by RTI activist PP Kapoor on November 20.

Kapoor, in his complaint to the Lokayukta on July 4, 2016, stated that the Hyderabadi Devpuri Shamshan Bhoomi Dharmarth Samiti had constructed 22 shops on 15 plots in Sector 11 which were reserved for the EWS category.

“Local MLA Rohita Rewari, who belongs to the Hyderabadi community, is shielding the encroachers,” he alleged.

MS Sullar, Registrar, Lokayukta, conducted a probe and submitted a report on January 9. The report stated that HSVP (then HUDA) officials, who had been posted since 2016, were hand in glove with the samiti president and had not taken any steps to get encroachments removed.

Following the reports the Lokayukta had asked HSVP officials to demolish the 22 shops in April, but that wasn’t done. The Lokayukta, in its order, said it was clear then DC and estate officers Vikas Dhanda and Deepak Ghanghas had not taken strict action in accordance with Section 18 of the HUDA Act, 1977, despite issuance of notices.