Sidhu suspends 10 officers of Bathinda Improvement Trust
Friday, 05/05/2017
http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=176206&boxid=57581&uid=&dat=2017-05-05
Chandigarh : Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Thursday suspended 10 officers of the Bathinda Improvement Trust over irregularities in construction of flats.
“The officers have been found guilty for irregularities in construction of flats in Manmohan Kalia enclave at Goniana Road, Bathinda; issuing completion certificates and proceeding with draw/proposal of these flats without demand survey,” an official spokesman said.
“The department swung into action and immediately suspended the erring officers while also filing a charge sheet,” he said.
A total of 13 officers were found guilty, out of which 3 had retired, while 10 officers were suspended.
Based on a probe conducted by the Chief Vigilance Officer of the department, the Local Government minister ordered the immediate suspension of 10 officers of Bathinda Improvement Trust.
The names of suspended officers are Gurbinder Pal Singh, Jasbir Singh (both JEs), Mukhtiar Singh, Gurraj Singh, Baljit Kumar (all Assistant Trust Engineers), Rakesh Garg (Trust Engineer) and Gora Lal, Harinder Singh Chahal, Kulwant Singh Brar and Jawahar Lal (all Executive Officers).
The scheme was started in 2010. The flat allottees have been fighting for justice in the consumer courts since seven years over irregularities in their construction.
According to information, the project was started with a promise to provide all luxury facilities to the allottees that too by the end of 2010. However, till date out of the total 96 flats only half could be allotted and those too without the promised facilities.
Members of the Allottee Association accused the officials involved in the project of being corrupt. They showed the cracked walls and other sub-standard articles used in the flats, which they claimed was far away from the promises made in the brochure.
Terming it far below than normal living standards, the investors demanded their money to be paid back with interest. Having no reply to the anguishes of the ‘beneficiaries’, the Chief Vigilance Officer AK Kansal pulled up the officials concerned and assured to recommend the refund to all. He, however, clarified that the decision would be of the state government only.
