Sunday, August 07, 2016

2 yrs on, no headway in VB probe

The Tribune‎‎‎: Ludhiana: Sunday, August 07, 2016.
Even as illegal change of land use and violation of building bylaws by allottees of residential and commercial properties in various schemes of Ludhiana Improvement Trust continues with impunity, a probe by the Vigilance Bureau, Punjab, initiated into irregularities committed by allottees and possible connivance of LIT staff has made no headway even after lapse of more than two years.
Responding to an application filed by Rohit Sabharwal, president of the Council of RTI Activists, under the Right to Information Act, the Joint Director Administration-cum-Public InformationOfficer of the Vigilance Bureau, Punjab, said: “Vigilance inquiry (5/14) initiated in this regard was still under investigation. Therefore,  information cannot be provided as laid down in Sections 8 (G) and (H) of the RTI Act 2005.”
On the basis of a complaint filed in May 2013, VB had started an inquiry into the alleged illegal change of land use, unauthorised construction and modification carried out by allottees in shop-cum-flats (SCFs) in Block E of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar colony.  Besides looking into allegations, VB was also to probe the charges of connivance by LIT field staff.
The council had asserted that allottees (of SCFs) had violated terms of allotment letter, which called for the cancellation of allotment of the properties concerned.
LIT officials said appropriate action was being taken against defaulting allottees in the schemes which were being maintained by the Trust at its own level, while they were in constant touch with the MC for taking note of violations in the schemes which stood transferred to MC for maintenance under the provisions of the Punjab Town Improvement Act.
“LIT has cancelled allotment of more than 50 properties including SCFs. SCOs, residential flats, shops, booths and two community centres in the past one year and action as per rules is under way against many more defaulting allottees,” a LIT official said.