Amritsar, February 3
The Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of the Local Bodies Department will conduct an inquiry into the attempts of the Municipal Corporation to change the land-use of the prime ‘open space’ near the District Courts, here. The General House of the corporation has already passed a resolution which had raised many an eyebrow.
The Secretary, Local Government, Mr Sarvesh Kaushal, in a fax message sent to the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, has sought comprehensive details of the ‘fishy deal’. Mr Kaushal said the Commissioner had been directed to send an immediate para-wise reply by ‘fax’ to the state government along with an explanatory note so that the direct involvement of the officer who had vested interests in the ‘deal’ could be established.
Mr Jasbir Singh Bir, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, while talking to TNS said the case was being reopened with a view to conducting a thorough probe into the case. He, however, said though the then Commissioner, Mr S.P. Singh, had raised objections over the change in land use yet the then state government had given its nod after seeking a legal opinion on the subject. Mr Bir said the entire record pertaining to the case was being procured so that the file could be sent to the state government, as per the procedures, after passing a resolution, notification has to be issued which is again placed in the General House for a final nod.
Mr Sunil Dutti, Mayor, said the case was cleared by the previous SAD-BJP government and hence the present House could not be blamed for the same. However, question arises as to why the present House of the MC had passed any resolution with regard to the case which was ‘wrongfully’ cleared by the previous government?
The then Commissioner had also raised serious objections over the attempts to change the land-use of the ‘green space’. In case the corporation allowed the change of land use it would create a traffic hazard, apart from usurping the ‘green space’. It is alleged that a senior leader of the ruling party was behind the move to get the resolution passed in the General House.
It is alleged that a prime piece of land was purchased by four buyers, including a gazetted officer of the Local Department for a song even after passing the scheme which had approved it to be ‘as green land’. However, the buyers refused to accept the cheques sent by the corporation as ‘compensation’. It was also alleged that signatures of an officer of the department were forged to acquire the land for constructing the shopping complex.
