Phagwara civic body facing acute staff shortage

Punjab Local Bodies Minister Dr Ravjot Singh had to face tough time when mediapersons raised a bundle of problems being faced by residents of Phagwara, which include encroachments, non-functional streetlights in several localities, broken roads and open violation of rules. The minister was on a visit to Phagwara recently to attend induction ceremony of Jarnail Nangal, the newly appointed Chairman of the Phagwara Improvement Trust.

Though the minister assured to redress problems soon, without sufficient staff of the Municipal Corporation (MC) how could it be possible? opined journalists.

“The Local Bodies Department will soon be fully computerised to facilitate the people. Encroachments will be removed and broken roads in Phagwara will be repaired. Impartial action will be taken against violators of the civic body rules.”

Dr Ravjot Singh, Local Bodies Minister

When contacted, Phagwara MC Commissioner Dr Akshita Gupta, who also holds the charge of the ADC (General), told The Tribune today that the post of Joint Commissioner and MC Secretary were lying vacant. Dr Gupta said out of two posts of Superintendent Engineer, one was lying vacant. “Four out of five sanctioned posts of Assistant Engineer are lying vacant. Six out of eight posts of junior engineer, five building inspectors, all four posts of superintendent and two of accountants have been lying vacant for a long time,” Dr Gupta said.

“Moreover, 35 out of 40 sanctioned posts of clerk are lying vacant for the last several months,” Dr Gupta added. Interestingly, the MC Commissioner has written to Director, Local Bodies, several times, but nothing has been done to fill vacant posts of the civic body.

Meanwhile, Cabinet Minister Dr Ravjot Singh told The Tribune that the Local Bodies Department would soon be fully computerised to facilitate the people. He was replying to a question related with problems faced by the people to deposit different MC taxes online.

Dr Ravjot also assured to remove encroachments and to repair broken roads in Phagwara. Answering a question regarding increasing political interference in the MC working, the minister assured for impartial action against violators of the civic body rules.