Ludhiana RTI activist writes to Punjab CM over missing measurement books

At a time when questions are being raised over quality of development works carried out in the past, 330 measurement books (MB) are missing from the municipal corporation’s (MC) record; a Ludhiana-based RTI activist has now written to Punjab chief minister Charanjit Channi seeking an FIR against the employees to whom the books were issued initially.

At a time when questions are being raised over quality of development works carried out in the past, 330 measurement books (MB) are missing from the municipal corporation’s (MC) record. A city based RTI activist has now written to chief minister Charanjit Channi seeking an FIR against the employees to whom the books were issued initially.

Ludhiana RTI activist stated in his letter to the Punjab CM that action should be taken against the officials as payments to the contractors are released on the basis of measurement books. (Representative image)

The MB books are used to keep a record of work done by contractors and payments are issued on its basis. The books are missing from MC records for years and many of the employees, to whom they were initially issued, have retired.

In the complaint sent on Monday, activist Rohit Sabharwal stated that replying to an RTI application, the MC revealed that 330 books have not been returned by 75 employees between January 2014 and June 2020.

“Action should be taken against the officials as payments to the contractors are released on the basis of MB books only. Also, the work done at the ground level needs to be checked,” the letter stated. A copy of the complaint has also been marked to local bodies minister Brahm Mohindra and the Punjab chief secretary.

In January this year, MC issued show-cause notices to 54 employees. Of these, departmental action was also recommended against 17 junior engineers of the local bodies department. But, no FIR has yet been registered.

An MC official, requesting anonymity, said that the department suspects embezzlement in the case. In the past, it has also been seen that officials even hand over to the MB books to the contractor and they maintain the record as per their convenience

MC commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal said that directions have been issued to additional commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal to give a last warning to the staffers and lodge an FIR against them, if they still fail to hand over the books. The retired employees have also been summoned. Earlier too, notices were issued and some of the books were recovered, as per the officials.