Two inquiry reports reach different conclusions

The matter was came to light in May this year after a raid by the Vigilance Department in Sector 34 where illegal ducts were being dug for laying OFC without permission from the Municipal Corporation. The cables were being laid by Digi Cables and Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL). Thereafter,a demand was raised that an inquiry into the issue be initiated. Additional Commissioner-I Sunil Bhatia was entrusted with the task.

The report was placed before the House in July. The summation states,“There was a lack of supervision,monitoring,coordination and communication on part of JEs and SDEs,Sector 33 and 34,which allowed laying of two ducts each in Sector 33 and Sector 34 by Digi Cable and PGCIL undetected. The staff should have communicated the occurrence and impounding of the machine on May 13 in Sector 33 to the XEN,which may have allowed the XEN to caution JEs and SDEs of other sectors regarding such an occurrence.”

While this report highlighted the lapses of all JEs and SDEs concerned,the role of the XEN was not put under a scanner. The report further said that the engineering staff did not have knowledge of the ducts being laid till May 13. Thereafter,the engineering staff did not inform the XEN or other higher authorities till the Vigilance raid on May 18.

When the inquiry report was placed before the House,the councillors raised objections and demanded that another inquiry be conducted by the Vigilance Officer of the civic body. The Additional Commissioner-II Lalit Siwach was soon after appointed the Vigilance Officer and he conducted the inquiry.

The inquiry report recommended action against XEN Vishal Gupta,SDE Ajay Garg and JE Ankur Bansal. It further recommended repatriation of the XEN. No action has been recommended against any other official.

The second report has not yet been tabled in the House despite being submitted in November. An official stated that there are a number of unanswered questions in the report. He added that both reports should be analysed,the differences studied and then action initiated.