Ropar, March 23
The Rural Development and Panchayat Department Director has suspended seven panches of Nangran village in the district for alleged misuse of powers and misappropriation of panchayat funds.
Director Manpreet Singh revealed this in an affidavit filed in the Punjab and Haryana HC. Advocate Binat Sharma said the Director took the step after village sarpanch Barinder Kumar moved the court in this regard.
According to the sarpanch’s counsellor, the panchayat had formed a committee under the Jal Shakti scheme and the panches, without the knowledge of sarpanch Barinder Kumar, collected money from villagers and also didn’t deposit it with the panchayat.
When the sarpanch objected, the panches stopped participating in village panchayat activities and hampering development works. They even lodged a complaint against the sarpanch with the Director alleging that he was not working properly and they would not be able to work with him.
The Director after looking into the matter directed the said panches to participate in panchayat works. They didn’t comply with the orders and no action was taken against them despite the fact that the sarpanch had informed the authorities about the collection of money from village residents, he said.
The counsellor said on the contrary, the authorities appointed an administrator diluting the powers of village panchayat following which the sarpanch moved the court in September last year.
The Director, on March 16, filed an affidavit in the court regarding suspension of all seven panches on March 14. He also informed the court that subsequent action would be initiated against the said panches and a decision in this regard would be taken within a period of four weeks. — TNS
Collected money from villagers
The panchayat had formed a panel under the Jal Shakti scheme. The panches, without the knowledge of sarpanch Barinder Kumar, collected money from villagers and didn’t deposit it with the panchayat.
Power misuse: Seven panches suspended
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