The recent reshuffle amidst BJP ministers has proved costly for the “erring” officials of the concerned departments.
Cracking a whip on them, while Punjab Industries and Commerce Minister Madan Mohan Mittal on Thursday suspended Pathankot’s general manager-cum-mining officer on the charges of negligence in duty, his predecessor and local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi has suspended Amritsar Municipal town planner on the charges of corruption.
Making it clear that ‘zero tolerance’ would be adopted against illegal mining in the State, Mittal said: “The services of Dharampal Bhagat, general manager-cum-mining officer of Pathankot district has placed under suspension on the charge of negligence in duty.”
He added that the Punjab Government was contemplating to make a Special Task Force to keep a check on illegal mining.
“The STF would visit illegal mining sites, if any, along with the general manager-cum-mining officers of respective districts with a view to check on illegal mining. More vehicles are being provided to field officers to minutely check the mining activities,” said Mittal while presiding over a high level meeting of general managers-cum-mining officers of all districts.
Accompanied by Chief Parliamentary Secretary Industries NK Sharma, the Minister asked the officers to take strict action against practices of illegal mining. “Only legal operation of the quarries should remain in process and illegal miners should be booked under Section 21 of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 along with section 379 of the Indian Penal Code,” he added.
Mittal also directed to take immediate effective measures to check illegal mining and stabilize the prices of sand and gravel in Punjab.
“No crusher in the state could run without getting registered under the mining policy. Crusher owners who failed to produce valid documents regarding source of material lying with them would be dealt under the provisions contained in section 21 of the 1957 Act, and rule 76 of the Punjab Minor Mineral Rules, 2013,” he said. The Minister also appealed the people of Punjab to approach Mining Officers, if having any information regarding illegal mining in the state.
Joshi suspends Amritsar town planner on corruption charges
Punjab local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi on Thursday suspended Amritsar Municipal town planner on charges of corruption.
The minister said that the town planner Des Raj has been suspended for demanding bribe to provide a ‘No Objection Certificate’ for the registration of a house in Amritsar.
Joshi said that Chief Vigilance Officer AK Kansal has been deputed as an inquiry officer to investigate the matter. He added that Kansal would also probe into the complaints received against another official Devinder Singh Toor and deliver a report within 15 days. Joshi also said that Chief Engineers VK Bhatt and Amardeep Singh Dhaliwal have been deputed to look into complaints received against sub-standard construction of the Sewerage Treatment Plant at Mansa.
Only recently, Joshi had suspended Urban local Bodies deputy director Bhajan Singh and Superintendent Jaspal Singh on the charges of demanding bribe of Rs three lakh in June for getting some work done.
After taking over the charge of the Ministry, Joshi had resolved to weed out corruption in the rank and files of the department, besides hassle free and time bound delivery of services to citizens.
The Minister had also stated that he had received several complaints regarding corrupt practices in the local Bodies department and government officers demanding bribe for delivery of services.