Zirakpur MC executive officer suspended for ‘misusing power’

MOHALI : Punjab local bodies department additional chief secretary Sanjay Kumar on Tuesday suspended Zirakpur municipal council executive officer (EO) Manvir Singh Gill for misusing his powers to issue completion certificates to eight major residential-cum-commercial projects in February this year.

This comes after chief vigilance officer of the department, Atul Sharma, submitted his report to Kumar, who confirmed that as per the report, the completion certificates were issued by not following the proper procedure.

On May 4, HT had reported how Gill, despite having no authority under the relevant rules, issued certificates to major projects that are spread over more than five acres each. One of these projects has been developed over around 21 acres, and Punjab local bodies minister Brahm Mohindra had ordered an inquiry over it. When asked about the completion certificates, Mohindra said, “We will thoroughly probe the before cancellation of the certificates.”

Sources said Zirakpur municipal council officials did not even carry out physical verification of the projects for issuing fire safety no-objection certificate or giving permissions for sewerage and water connections and setting up of sewage treatment plant.

Even in May last year, the Punjab and Haryana high court had pulled up the EO over inaction in removing illegal structures within 100 metres of the Chandigarh international airport.