Notices issued as 379 rent deeds go missing from civic body office on Ludhiana

In Zone A, deeds of 116 shops are missing while in Zone C and D, the figures are 120 and 143

A possible embezzlement came to the fore when a third party conducting forensic audit found rent deeds of 379 municipal corporation (MC) shops and properties missing from the civic body offices. The audit had been ordered by Navjot Singh Sidhu in 2018, when he was a local bodies minister.

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As per information, the shops are situated in the area falling under Zone A, C, and D of the MC. In Zone A, the rent deeds of 116 shops are missing while in Zone C, there are 120 such shops and in Zone D, there are 143 shops. It was also found that rent is outstanding against 87 shops in Zone A, 93 in Zone C and 289 in Zone D, out of which rent deeds are not available for 72 shops in Zone A, 93 in Zone C and 140 in Zone D.

Additional commissioner Rishipal Singh has ordered a show-cause notice to be issued against the staff concerned. Rishipal has asked MC secretary Surinder Pal Singh to fix the responsibility of employees for the missing files and also for their failure in recovering the pending amount. Further, the secretary was also directed to execute fresh rent deeds as per market rates.

MC secretary Surinderpal Singh said that directions have been given to the zonal superintendents to issue show-cause notices to the responsible employees for the missing files. Further action would be taken by the higher authorities after getting a reply from the employees.

EMPLOYEES UNION OPPOSES SHOW-CAUSE NOTICES

Members of the MC employees Sangharsh committee union has raised the issue in front of mayor Balkar Sandhu on Thursday, stating that the show-cause notices are being served without prior inquiry as the staff members to whom notices are being issues, are not even aware of the files. An MC employee, requesting anonymity, said the show-cause notices have been issued to those employees too, who have now been shifted to other branches.