GOVT ORDERS CRACKDOWN ON ILLEGAL TRAVEL AGENTS

CHANDIGARH: Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has directed all deputy commissioners (DCs) and the senior superintendents and commissioners of police (SSPs, CPs) to “go all-out” to identify “unregistered and unscrupulous” travel agents operating in their areas and take stern action against them.

Acting on the CM’s directive, home secretary NS Kalsi issued has the directive to to ensure strict compliance with the laws governing licensing and operations of such agents, a spokesman said on Friday. The measures include regular update and public display of the list of registered travel agents as well as their regular physical verification, at least once a year.

This comes as Punjab has over the years seen a number of frauds by agents, many of whom operate without scrutiny.

The advisory “expresses the government’s deep concern about the unscrupulous persons and travel agents carrying out illegal activities by giving false promises to the citizens, especially the youth, for getting them settled abroad by charging huge amounts”. In the process, the citizens are getting defrauded and sometimes landing in foreign prisons as illegal entrants, it says, adding that most of these persons are fly-by-night operators. “Sometimes, even more heinous crimes like kidnappings and confining people in illegal custody have also been reported.”

DCs have been directed to ensure that district web portals include details of all registered agents, as also the details of their licence, validity period and a high-resolution photograph.