Panchkula, January 16
Vigilance Bureau has directed the Municipal Corporation to present the report of the committee constituted by the latter in the alleged Korean grass scam during the next hearing to be held on January 30.
Members of the complainant party, the Vikas Manch, Panchkula, along with officials of the MC, had appeared before the Chief Vigilance Officer of the Urban Local Bodies Department in connection with the ongoing investigation into the allegations of scam in planting Korean grass on road berms in the city.
Officials of the MC said the Chief Vigilance Officer said a five-member committee had been constituted under the chairmanship of the Joint Commissioner of the MC. Other members of the committee include Executive Engineer-1 Sumit Malik, Executive Engineer-2 Mandeep Singh, Executive Engineer-3 Pramod Kumar and Assistant Engineer of Horticulture Wing Dalip Yadav. The committee had been constituted after the VB sought the report via a letter sent to the MC Commissioner. The officials said the committee would soon present its report.
The ULB Chief Vigilance Officer, after reading a document submitted by the MC Commissioenr, objected that no date had been fixed for the submission of the report. When asked to give a date for the submission of the report, the XEN, appearing on behalf of the corporation, said it would be submitted by January 30. After this, the date of the next hearing on the matter was fixed for January 30 and the corporation officials were asked to appear during the hearing along with all related documents, including the report.
Members of the Vikas Manch had alleged a scam in the plantation of Korean grass on the road berms. The contract for the same and its maintenance was awarded to six or seven contractors by the corporation for about Rs 80 lakh. They alleged a scam as there was no grass visible anywhere on the road berms. They had demanded that the higher authorities should investigate the matter and take legal action against those involved in the alleged scam. They alleged that as the matter had been suppressed by the officials for one and a half years, they had to write to the Chief Minister seeking investigating, after which the matter was entrusted to the ULB Chief Vigilance Office (CVO) for investigation.
Devraj Sharma, a member of the manch, said he was satisfied with the hearing and instructions of the CVO. He has also urged that one of their members be included in the investigation.
Whistleblower
Members of the Vikas Manch had alleged a scam in the plantation of Korean grass on the road berms. The contract for the same and its maintenance was awarded to six or seven contractors by the corporation for about Rs 80 lakh.
