Massive financial fraud in urban local bodies Rajouri and Poonch go unnoticed; EOs given a free hand to loot money; Silence of ULB directorate questionable

Massive financial fraud in urban local bodies Rajouri and Poonch go unnoticed; EOs given a free hand to loot money; Silence of ULB directorate questionable

POONCH TODAY NEWS

POONCH/RAJOURI: Notwithstanding the fact that the issue of brazen financial frauds in the department of Urban Local Bodies was highlighted by “POONCH TODAY,” not a single inquiry has been initiated against the tainted executive officers of some municipalities of Rajouri and Poonch districts by the ULB directorate; as a result, the same practice was going on without any action from the government.

Exclusive data available with “POONCH TODAY” shows that from backdoor recruitment scams to scripting massive financial frauds in the Rajouri and Thanamandi municipalities, tainted officials looted government money at will. The officials of some municipalities in the Rajouri and Poonch districts indulged in massive hand-in-glove acts by ordering massive purchases. In the name of legacy waste, a massive blow was given to the government exchequer. In Rajouri, the tainted department officials used to take huge amounts in lakhs for giving permission to illegal khokhas near the bus stand area. In the name of purchasing various items, the concerned officials misused their powers and allowed brazen misuse of funds in these municipalities, but it’s a big question mark on the ULB directorate, which has maintained a questionable silence on this rather than inquiring into the whole episode. Highly placed sources told “POONCH TODAY” that a number of illegal constructions and illegal khokhas have been constructed at various places in Rajouri and Poonch, but rather than taking action against all those, the tainted officials got their share from those involved in illegal constructions. An E.O. also withdrew funds on fake bills presented to some firms that are close to the E.O. in one of the municipalities in the Rajouri district. In Poonch district also, near Poonch Fort, which was declared as a protected monument, a number of illegal khokhas and illegal constructions have taken place with the involvement of the Poonch municipality. As per the Ancient Monuments and Preservation Act, 1904, no construction is allowed within 100 meters, only single-story is allowed within 200 meters, and double-story within 300 meters, but the blue-eyed officials of the Poonch municipality allowed construction of illegal Khokhas and other illegal constructions within 50 meters of the Poonch fort. From backdoor recruitment frauds in the Thanamandi municipality on fake letterheads of the director of ULB, massive purchasing, and allowing illegal constructions at several places to other frauds in the Rajouri district, the list is endless. In another shocker, those who scripted the frauds have been enjoying their chairs without any action from the government, and it raises a big question mark on those sitting at the helm of affairs in the directorate of ULB and the top level of the department. In the name of the Swachh Bharat Mission Urban, huge fake bills were withdrawn during the last few years in these municipalities, and it shows how the successive E.O.s murdered government funds meant for the development of urban areas of the Rajouri and Poonch districts. Most streetlights are not working in the city. At a number of places, drains are choked, but who will look into these minor things, as the main job of the tainted officials remains to look for ways and means to earn money in an illegal manner? Reports available with “POONCH TODAY” show the tainted officials used to get a major share from some big projects. Massive loot took place in the municipalities of the Poonch and Rajouri districts as the issue of illegal constructions at a number of places and massive unwanted purchases was raised many times, but the concerned officials managed the issue behind closed doors, and not a single action was taken against any type of illegal act in different municipalities of the border region. The executive officers scripted massive financial frauds, but it’s an example of the sorry state of affairs in the Department of Urban Local Bodies that nobody dared to initiate an inquiry into the matter. It’s high time for the government to initiate a scheme-wise inquiry in all the municipalities of the Rajouri and Poonch districts, especially in the Rajouri and Thanamandi municipalities, rather than shifting tainted officials to plum postings to murder government funds openly without any fear of law.