Senior BJP leader Matbar Singh Negi on Monday accused Chief Engineer of Minor Irrigation department of indulging in corruption. Negi, who is also representative of the MP Garhwal, said he had already written a letter to the State Tourism and Irrigation Minister Satpal Mahharaj in this regard.
“I met him too and asked for an inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the department. Some documents were submitted too,” he disclosed.
Negi said District Magistrate Dehradun had allotted a plot of land for the construction of the Minor Irrigation department’s headquarters in Nathanpur on July 25, 2008. “The matter of the fact is that nearly 350 yards on the front side of the allotted land is under the possession of a relative of chief engineer Mahomad Umar. An inquiry is required to ascertain whether the plot of land has been encroached upon or not. With the possession of this land remaining under cloud, things are not progressing satisfactorily. We demand the State Government to suspend the chief engineer to make way for an impartial probe into whether the Government land has been encroached upon or not. If it is proved that the land has been encroached upon it should be freed,” he added.
He also charged that the Chief Engineer had flouted the Government rules with impunity while favouring some with regularization of jobs.
“I can cite the instance of Ramindra Pal Singh, whose job was not regularised despite his having served the department in Pauri for the last eight years. Things depend on the CE’s whim as some much below Singh in terms of seniority have been promoted. Singh was later dismissed following which he moved the High Court. The court stayed the order. But he is yet to be reinstated because of the vindictive CE,” he said, adding that there are many such cases involving the department. “This warrants a thorough inquiry,” he said.