Pathankot: On retirement eve, ADC gives village’s 100 acres to individuals

Vishav Bharti

Chandigarh, July 18

Even as the government is making tall claims about removing encroachers on panchayat land, officials, allegedly in connivance with the land mafia, seem to be not giving two hoots to the government campaign.

Pathankot officer faces action

The department is also exploring the possibility of stopping his retirement benefits. — DK Tiwari, financial commissioner, rural development and panchayats dept

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The recent example is in Pathankot district where just a day before his retirement, a District Development and Panchayat Officer (DDPO), who was holding the additional charge of the ADC (Development), has ordered to restore around 100 acres of panchayat land to some individuals. The land, which is worth crores, is located at Gol village of Narot Jaimal Singh block in Pathankot district.

Suspecting the mala fide decision, the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats has not only stayed the decision, but also initiated an inquiry into the case.

The case has brought the top functionaries of the government under the scanner as Kuldeep Singh, who is responsible for this, was working as a Block Development and Panchayat Officer till February 20. He was promoted as DDPO on February 21 and three days later, he was given the additional charge of ADC (D), Pathankot.

On February 25 and 26, there were holidays on account of Saturday and Sunday and on his first working day on February 27, he decided the case against the gram panchayat and restored 734 kanal and one marla (92 acre) of shamlat land to some individuals.

Taking serious note of this, Director, Rural Development and Panchayats, has stayed the decision. According to sources, the department is suspecting wilful and mala fide intention in the case as the acting ADC did not provide any opportunity to the gram panchayat to produce evidence in its favour. Apart from that, no witness from either side was examined by the collector and no revenue record since January 26, 1950, till date was examined.

Sources revealed that since Kuldeep had retired, the department was also exploring the possibility of stopping his retirement benefits. Financial Commissioner, Rural Development and Panchayats, DK Tiwari said the issue had been brought to his knowledge recently and he had ordered an inquiry into the case.

Kuldeep claimed that his decision was legal and there was no irregularity in that.