Cracking a disciplinary whip Urban Development Minister Md Azam Khan gave marching orders to Municipal Commissioner Agra and put lucknow’s Nagar Ayukt on notice for non-performance. The Minister also ordered suspension of two Chief Engineers of Jal Nigams, including that of lcknow, for dereliction of duty.
The decisions were taken during the state-level meeting of JNNURM held here on Friday. The minister lost his cool when Municipal Commissioner Agra D.K. Singh used "inappropriate words" against the Mayor Agra. "The meeting demands decency. If the official does not have the courtesy to give reply to elected represented in a decent manner he has no right to continue in his post," Md Azam Khan said while giving direction to appointment department to remove him.
The minister also suspended Chief Engineers of Jal Nigam of Faizabad and lucknow. The Chief Engineer, Faizabad R.K. Garg was suspended because during his tenure as Chief Engineer in Kanpur he failed to provide water in overhead tanks constructed during his period.
Similarly, Chief Engineer, Jal Nigam, Rajendra Khare was suspended for dereliction of duty and for not informing his seniors about problems being faced during implementation of projects. Azam Khan also showed his displeasure over working of Municipal Commissioner, R K Singh and questioned as why the road were dug and projects were not completed in time. He questioned about on-going projects and failed to find a suitable answer the minister asked him to pull up socks.
"Strict action would be taken against officers who will work half heartedly. There should not be any compromise on quality of work. The officers founf misusing money would be strictly dealt with. The money would be realized from their salaries," Md Azam Khan said.
BJP legislator Salil Bishnoi, who attended the meeting, said the minister also asked Singh about progress in Haider canal scheme and asked him why the pits were left uncovered after digging.
"It was a very useful meeting. The officers were taken to task and the minister initiated projects under JNNURM. He even asked officials to complete the same within time frame," he said. In the meeting four projects of Agra, three of Meerut, two of lucknow and one of Kanpur were sanctioned.