Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 9: The State Vigilance Commission (SVC) while expressing concern over the maladministration and other bungling allegedly committed by the former VC JDA and other officers posted in JDA from time to time in league with private persons, has summoned the VC JDA.
The SVC took cognizance of a complaint lodged by one Kanti Lal against former Vice Chairman and other officers/officials of JDA regarding illegal allotment of JDA land to some hotel owners in Jammu and Bari Brahamana by hatching conspiracy and in consideration of illegal gratification taken from hotel owners thereby allowing them to occupy and raise illegal constructions thereon.
He also got the JDA land at Trikuta Nagar registered in the name of his wife with malafide intentions and in an arbitrary manner.
The former Vice Chairman purchasing a JCB Machine worth Rs. 4.5 lakh without putting the same to open tenders, issued NOC in favour of brother of the then Vice Chairman and another person in violation of Government instructions in this behalf while the officers/officials facilitated encroachment over about 10 Marlas of JDA land near fruit Mandi Jammu and illegally permitted a private person to raise a shopping complex.
It resulted into huge loss to the state exchequer, the SVC said observing that the allegations were of serious nature. It has sought report from the present Vice Chairman JDA.
The report submitted by the Jammu Development Authority prima facie revealed a series of omissions and commissions on the part of the then Vice Chairman and other officers/officials of JDA while exercising their administrative powers which tantamount to misuse and abuse of their official position.
The report further revealed that the private hotel owners by taking undue benefit of indiscipline and maladministration prevailing in JDA had raised the huge constructions in utter violation of approved plans.
The SVC taking serious note of the abuse of the official position, irresponsible and reckless approach adopted by the officers/officials of JDA orders for initiation of Departmental and Legal action against all those involved in facilitating the encroachments and illegal constructions over the JDA land and has directed the Vice Chairman JDA to get the encroached land retrieved besides ensuring the compliance report thereof before the Commission on next date of hearing.
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