Local Bodies Dept ignoring Jalandhar DC Ghanshyam Thori's recommendation?

Jalandhar, April 25

Even though it has been nearly 11 days since Deputy Commissioner Jalandhar-cum-Chairman, Jalandhar Improvement Trust, Ghanshyam Thori, had written to the Principal Secretary (Local Bodies) recommending suspension of its Executive Officer Paramjit Singh Gill, no action has been taken by higher officials so far.

Case of missing files

• The issue of missing files in the office of the JIT remains to be the biggest mystery. It is common for the applicants to make repeated visits to the JIT for various works. Some applicants have even been saying that they are visiting the office since more than a year but only to be told that their file remains missing.

Even as sources in the Local Bodies Department said the file with the recommendation against the EO had been moved to the Chief Minister’s office since Bhagwant Mann holds the charge of the department, Principal Secretary Vivek Partap Singh said the status of the case could be known tomorrow morning. Thori had reportedly moved the file against the EO on April 14 and has since then filed many reminders.

Meanwhile, the issue of missing files in the office of the JIT remains to be the biggest mystery. It is common for the applicants to make repeated visits to the JIT for various works. Some applicants have even been saying that they are visiting the office since more than a year but only to be told that their file remains missing and hence there has been no headway in their pending works.

In the same context, Director Local Bodies had on April 18 written to the EO seeking lodging of an FIR into the alleged case of missing files at the JIT office against the officials for their negligent behaviour. On April 20, the EO has written that there was an inspection of the office by the team of Chief Vigilance Officer of Local Bodies Department in his office on March 23.

“During the inspection, the files including those of dispatch register (before September 29, 2021), cash book, sale files, receipt book, and other documents were sought. The staff had then reported that the record had been sought by former Chairman through Senior Assistant at his office but did not return,” the EO has replied.

The EO has further gone on record to write to the Commissioner of Police: “This shows that the entire record has been misplaced. Since the record was so important for the JIT, it requires the filing of a case under the relevant Sections of the IPC. The office is set to face a major financial loss owing to the missing cash book and documents, which seems to be a part of the larger conspiracy. The maintaining of accounts has not been possible owing to the same reason.”

The EO has written to the CP for lodging of the case against former Chairman of JIT and the Senior Assistant on the matter and police intervention for recovery of the missing records. A recommendation for lodging of an FIR into the missing files has also been made by the DC to the CP, confirmed Thori.

Daljit Singh Ahluwalia, former Chairman, when contacted, said these were all frivolous charges against me and my ex-officer. “All files are either in office or in courts or in the office of the CVO. There is nothing with us. The duty to maintain all files is with the EO himself being the administrative head,” he said.