Illegal colonies: Sidhu’s orders go for a toss as ‘suspended’ officials stay on duty

A fortnight after local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu ordered the suspension of eight officials in the town planning wing of Jalandhar municipal corporation (MC), no action has been initiated against them so far.

All the suspended officials are continuing to mark their attendance at the civic body in the absence of any written orders of their suspension.

Sidhu, cracking the whip on illegal colonies during a surprise visit in Jalandhar on June 14, had ordered the “immediate suspension” of eight officials of the building branch.

The suspended officials were two senior town planners (STPs) Parampal Singh and Monica Anand, a municipal town planner (MTP) Meharban Singh, two assistant town planners (ATPs) Naresh Mehta and Balvinder Singh, and three building inspectors Neeraj Sharma, Pooja Mann and Ajit Sharma.

‘REPORT SENT TO

HIGHER AUTHORITIES’

MC joint director Shikha Bhagat, who headed an inquiry into the matter, said she sent the report on all the 35 sites visited by Sidhu to higher authorities on Tuesday. She added that she can’t disclose much as it is a confidential report.

Mayor Jagdish Raja said, “Violations were found at all the sites visited by the minister. The further action will be taken by the higher authorities.”

MC officials privy to the report said glaring violations, including construction of illegal buildings and irregularities in already constructed buildings, have been found at almost all the sites.

Will issue formal suspension
orders today: Sidhu

Meanwhile, Sidhu said that as Jalandhar MC commissioner Basant Garg had gone on leave, the inquiry report was delayed.

“We received the report yesterday (Tuesday), which has been verified and the director (local bodies) has also processed it. The formal suspension orders (of the officials) will be issued tomorrow (Thursday),” he said.

Sidhu said the inquiry report has exonerated one of the eight officials, Pooja Mann, as she had recently joined and no charges were framed against her. However, the report has added three-four more officials to the list after finding their involvement.