GDA to get tough against corrupt officials

Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) officials have decided to expedite and take up special cases, where consumers have gone against the authority to district consumer forum, to reach amicable settlement and disposal of pending issues. Peeyush Khandelwal reports.

Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) officials have decided to expedite and take up special cases, where consumers have gone against the authority to district consumer forum, to reach amicable settlement and disposal of pending issues.

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The GDA officials have also decided to lodge FIRs against the erring officials whose actions have led the consumer forum to pass penalties and imprisonment against the authority officials recently.

Speaking to HT, GDA vice-chairman Narendra Kumar Chaudhary said a ‘special-day’ would be organised for all cases where consumers have gone to the district consumer forum alleging irregularities against the authority.

Off late, in around 18 cases decided at the district consumer forum at Ghaziabad, GDA officials were pronounced penalties and even imprisonment by the forum. As many as 20 more such cases are scheduled for hearing next week. “We have opted to go in for appeal in these cases and also taking remedial actions. But the laxity on the part of erring officials have led the senior officials suffer and this has also dented the authority’s image,” Chaudhary said.

As part of the remedial action, vice-chairman has ordered lodging of strict FIRs against the erring officials and said that the complainants at the consumer forum would also be invited on a special day for the hearings and for forwarding their complaints. This special-day would be organised apart from the monthly ‘mitra-divas’ where regular complaints are heard by authority’s officials.

District consumer forum officials told HT that recently a majority of cases were filed against the GDA by the consumers who alleged delays and harassment by various GDA officials.

Although senior officials initiated inquiries in irregularities but very little could be achieved. GDA officials said inquiries were ordered from time to time, “but the disposal of these inquiries continued at a snail’s pace.”