Vigilance panel closing in on corrupt officials

KANPUR: Chairman, Uttar Pradesh Vigilance Commission, SN Shukla, expressing concern at undue delay in disposing of complaints by departmental heads, directed them to take necessary steps to clear the pending cases.
Talking to Times News Network after presiding over a meeting of senior district officials here, Shukla said that the commission was flooded with complaints lodged against corrupt government officials.The vigilance commission took up three corruption cases in 2000, five in 2001 and currently it was probing three such cases, he added.
Claiming that various government departments, including health, forest, development authorities, education and jail, were under scrutiny of the vigilance commission, he said that that they had sought reports from senior officials of these departments. “We will initiate appropriate steps against the corrupt officials after receiving reports from these departments,� he added.
Shukla said that the vigilance commission was closing in on a doctor of the Ursala Hospital, a senior official of Kanpur Development Authority (KDA), three officials of Kannauj tehsil and a senior official of the Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Cooperation.
“We are also probing into plaints lodged against an official of the forest department,� Shukla said adding that the probe in most of these cases was near completion.
Shukla said that he had discussed a ten-point agenda with senior district officials covering those cases in which departmental heads did not grant permission to the prosecuting agency to frame charges against corrupt officials.
He also regretted that many corrupt officials, against whom the commission had recommended strict action, were allowed to go scot free by departmental heads.
The chairman, however, lauded heads of those departments who were sincerely trying to check corruption.
Urging departmental heads not to give important assignments to tainted officials, Shukla said that the commission had also requested them to suggest ways to check corruption at higher places. He said that the commission had received many plaints against class four employees working in different government departments.