Adopting a pick-and-choose policy, the Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Development Corporation (CITCO) has not initiated action against all the erring employees of the units in which irregularities pertaining to purchase and laundry had come to fore. An inquiry marked by the managing director of CITCO had revealed that potatoes were being purchased at higher rates in a total of eight units - Chef Lake View, Hotel Mountview, Hotel Shivalikview, Hotel Parkview, Baithak, Multi Purpose Industrial Community Centre (MPICC), UT secretariat canteen, and Chef, Sector 17. Although the report was submitted in February 2015, the management has so far acted against only six employees, all retired now. The latter, who were employed with Hotel Mountview, Hotel Parkview and Hotel Shivalikview, have got their retirement benefits withheld. As per an official record, CITCO purchases vegetables worth around Rs 1.50 crore annually for all its units. Similarly, an inquiry probing irregularities in a contract awarded for laundering and drying cleaning of linen in Hotel Parkview had recommended disciplinary action against nine officials in September. The management, however, has initiated action against only eight officials. CITCO Progressive Workers’ Union has taken up the issue with the management and has demanded action against the remaining employees. “There has to be one yardstick. How can they spare a few and punish the others? It seems the management is protecting the employees against whom no action has not been taken,” said Balbir Singh Punni, general secretary of the union. He further said that the union would take up the issue with the home secretary, who is also the chairman of CITCO, if the management failed to take action against the remaining employees. CITCO MD Kavita Singh said that no erring official would be spared.
