To stamp out corruption that is rampant in Government departments and offices, the Uttarakhand Vigilance department is all set to facilitate the common people to register their graft-related complaints on various mediums like social networking sites, toll-free number and telephone number. After verifying their complaints, the department will take action against the accused, the officers assured.SP (Vigilance) VKS Karki said that now people can report Vigilance department through mobile numbers 9456591894 and 9411112739 if any department official demanded bribe or indulged in any other form of irregularity. They can also personally approach the department official, seeking action against any government officer or employee, irrespective of status, who are found indulging in corruption in the form of demanding bribes or any deviation from the laid-down governmental norms.
Even charges of misconduct or misbehavior by them would be taken into account, it is learnt.The state additional director general of police (vigilance) Ashok Kumar on Friday said that the department had received several graft complainants last year. Over 10 Government officials of various departments were arrested by the team as they were caught red -handed while taking bribes from the complainants in the presence of two independent witnesses.Kumar said that some cases involving some senior officers are pending before the state government. However, he refused to specify. "True, corruption is becoming rampant in government departments. We can collect intelligence on our own or on the orders of the government.
However, the department facing staff crunch is making things a bit tardy," he added.Moreover, several steps are in the offing to facilitate the people to register graft complaints to the department. After thorough investigation of the registered complaints by the department officials, the accused are booked under Prevention of Corruption Act and action follows, he said.It should be mentioned here that the vigilance establishment was set up under the Uttarakhand (UP Vigilance Establishment act 1965) Adaptation and Amendment Order 2002. The primary function of the Vigilance Establishment is to bring relief to the common man by curbing corruption in the government departments and offices.