Punjab Diary: Bureaucrats on Vigilance radar

Chandigarh: The Vigilance Bureau probe into alleged wrong doings during the previous government’s tenure is making a section of bureaucrats uncomfortable. Certain “controversial decisions” during the Congress’ term has put the officers concerned on radar. A recent meeting between the Vigilance and bureaucrats saw tough posturing by babus over providing record of the Industries Department related to allotment of industrial plots. Will the Vigilance strike back?

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Embarrassment for AAP

Sangrur: High number of stubble-burning cases is an embarrassment for the Aam Aadmi Party government. Sangrur, the home district of CM Minister Bhagwant Mann, tops the list. Locals boasting that they were from the CM’s district, now stop short of revealing their native place. A retired Army officer said, “Recently, I was in Chandigarh to attend a party. It became embarrassing as guests walked up to me and blamed Sangrur for the highest number of farm fire incidents.”

Cat fight over cars

Chandigarh: A cat fight is keeping the corridors of power abuzz! Two senior women officers in the state government have been fighting it out over cars and allotment of rooms. The senior officer refuses to permanently allot a new car to her junior on the pretext that she already has another car from the department she’s holding additional charge of and her primary posting remains in Chandigarh. The junior officer has started telling her seniors of the number of cars at the disposal of the senior officer. Top officials, who are aware of the matter, wish that the duo resolve the issue on their own. No one wants to mess up with the feuding officers!

Recalling raid on ex-MLA

Pathankot: Last week, when I-T officials raided the premises of ex-Bhoa MLA Joginder Pal, residents recalled how an upright IPS officer had dared to take on the legislator. During his stint in power, Pal had used derogatory language against the then SSP Gulneet Khurana. The very next day, the officer had the audacity to do what nobody else had done. He raided the MLA’s stone crusher and confiscated costly equipment. The legislator was akin to a bull in a china shop. He could be seen moving here, there and everywhere in an attempt to stop the raid. Khurana very conveniently turned off his mobile and let the raids continue. Residents were as happy as a lark because many of them had actually been victims of the MLA’s “uncouth behavior”.

Hold MLAs, MPs accountable

Gurdaspur: With the state government yet to give a green signal to mining, the rates of sand and gravel have hit the roof. People are being forced to buy sand at Rs 12,000 per trailer against Rs 3,500 a few months ago. Residents said they had voted for the AAP hoping that the spiraling rates of mining material would be arrested. The consensus among them was that Parliament should enact a ‘Right to Recall (RTR)’ Act wherein voters are given the powers to remove the elected legislators or parliamentarians if their performance is below par. Such a Bill was actually introduced in the Lok Sabha in 1974, but it failed to make the cut. People say at least there should be a debate on such a law to make the “MLAs and MPs” more accountable.

Contributed by Rajmeet Singh, Parvesh Sharma, Ruchika M Khanna and Ravi Dhaliwal