Anmol Mann takes jibe at forest, local govt officers

Less than four months after then Cabinet Minister Anmol Gagan Mann accused the Nayagaon Executive Officer and Kharar tehsildars of indulging in “corrupt practices”, the MLA has again ruffled feathers in the government with a similar outburst during a public hearing on the Eco Sensitive Zone around the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary at Punjab Bhawan, Sector 3, on Wednesday.

This time, Mann fired another salvo at officers of the Forest and Local Government departments present at the meeting, putting Cabinet Minister Lal Chand Kataruchakk and Local Government Minister Dr Ravjot Singh in a tough spot.

At a conference with the Forest Minister, Local Government Minister and officers, Mann alleged that no officer present at the meeting wanted illegal constructions and encroachments to be removed “kyonki croreaan rupayee banande hai mahineyan ch (because they earn crores of rupees from them)”.

“Illegal constructions can be spotted just 1 km from the Chief Minister’s residence. Everybody present here knows that there is a need to develop a masterplan in Nayagaon, Nada and Karoran, and carry out construction work accordingly but nobody does it,” she said.

Once the MLA took a pause, Kataruchakk said, “Badi achchi charcha ho ri hai. Jediyan thodi deviations hen unha par hor charcha karangey.” Two officials present in the meeting confirmed the incident, terming it a minor greviance.

Mann, who was shorn of her Cabinet rank recently, was peeved that she had submitted written complaint against the Nayagaon Executive Officer. However, the same officer had been posted to her own civic body, the Kharar MC.

“He claims to people that the MLA takes bribes,” she said about the Executive Officer. The recurrent outbursts by the MLA, and her removal from the Cabinet rank, has fuelled rumours that all is not well between the MLA and the ruling dispensation.