Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 23
The Local Government Department has widened the scope of its probe into the issuing of illegal completion certificates to residential-cum-commercial projects in Zirakpur.
The department had yesterday cancelled the certificates issued since January this year.
Zirakpur projects: irregularities galore
-
Sources say the 'scam' points to a larger builder-official-politician nexus. To attract investment, builders offer assured returns to investors till the issuance of a completion certificate.
-
The certificates issued to incomplete projects by the Zirakpur MC were meant to be used by the builders to stop payment of the promised monthly returns.
-
The matter was exposed after some investors approached the senior authorities.
Now, the certificates issued last year would also be probed. Local Government Minister Brahm Mohindra has directed the chief vigilance officer (CVO) of the department to probe the matter.
In an interim report, the CVO had pointed out that all certificates issued by the Zirakpur MC last year were illegal, as only the Minister-in-charge and the Secretary were competent to accord technical approval before issuing of the certificates by the EO concerned.
The department then cancelled the certificates issued by Executive Officer Manvir Singh Gill in the last five months. The EO has already been placed under suspension. "Now the department would cancel all certificates issued since October last year. A public notice is being issued asking the builders concerned to again apply for the certificates," said an official.
Pointing to a larger builder-official-politician nexus, the certificates issued to incomplete projects by the MC were meant to be used by the builders to stop payment of assured monthly returns to their investors. The scam was exposed after some investors reportedly approached the authorities concerned.
Sources said the suspended EO, who is said to have the backing of a Congress leader from Dera Bassi, had initially stated that he had not issued any certificates.
But after facing pointed queries from the vigilance teams, he reportedly admitted to issuing the certificates. The vigilance is struggling to get its hands on the entire record pertaining to the projects, it is learnt.
The EO had not even carried out physical verification of the projects for issuing fire safety no-objection certificate or giving permissions for sewerage and water connections and setting up of sewage treatment plant.
from The Tribune https://ift.tt/3bZzdNp
No comments:
Post a Comment