No ATP, work hit at MC building wing in Ludhiana

With the lone assistant town planner (ATP) being shifted to the headquarters in Chandigarh, the work at municipal corporation (MC) building branch has taken a hit amid acute staff crunch.  

The ATP, Vijay Kumar, was transferred in the first week of December, and was relieved from the charge a few days back. Earlier in mid November, ATP (headquarters) SS Bindra was also transferred to Pathankot.  

In the absence of a permanent ATP, additional charges of ATPs have been given to head draftsmen Harvinder Singh (Zone A), Mohan Singh (Zone B) and Satish Kumar (Zone C). 

Of the 25 posts of building inspectors, 18 are also lying vacant, while seven posts of draftsmen and 11 posts of junior draftsmen are yet to be filled.   

One of the MC officials, who did not wish to be named, said the department had been transferring officials from Ludhiana MC without filling the vacant post. “Several letters have been issued to the local bodies department in the past to depute more staff in the city, but to no avail.”  

“Though senior officials and the councillors are putting pressure on the staff to curb illegal construction and expedite recovery of dues, they are doing nothing to fill the vacant posts due to which extra burden has been put on the shoulders of existing employees,” the official said.

An MC official said there are around a dozen such officials who are drawing salary from Ludhiana MC but are working in the headquarters and other places.

ATP Vijay Kumar and building inspector Rahul are also among those. 

During the general House meeting held on December 31, the MC had passed a resolution that either the officers who are drawing salary from Ludhiana MC be shifted back or the MC not issue their salaries thereon.  

Congress councillors Parvinder Lapran and Baljinder Bunty had also raised the issue of illegal constructions during the House meeting. They had also accused the MC staff of indulging in corrupt practices for sheltering the illegal buildings.  

Mayor Balkar Sandhu said that he would take up the matter with the local bodies minister Brahm Mohindra and would ask him to depute permanent ATPs in the city.