Latest news with #DirectorateofVigilance
Indian Express
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
L-G gives nod to initiate action against PWD ex-engineer over irregularities in construction of classrooms in Delhi
Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has approved a proposal from the Directorate of Vigilance to start disciplinary proceedings against a former executive engineer of the Public Works Department (PWD) over alleged irregularities and fund mismanagement in the construction of 226 classrooms under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan. According to a statement shared by the L-G house on Thursday, the engineer has been transferred out of Delhi and is currently posted with the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) in Amritsar, Punjab. This decision follows alleged irregularities identified in the implementation of the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, a Centre-sponsored initiative aimed at enhancing educational infrastructure in Delhi, which was allocated Rs 38.37 crore for the construction of 226 classrooms across various schools, said officials. 'The situation escalated when a public interest litigation titled Social Jurist, a Civil Rights Group v/s GNCTD and Ors. was filed in the Delhi High Court on June 11, 2019, seeking a directive for the government to hand over possession of six newly constructed school buildings…,' an official added. After the PIL was filed, officials said, the then Chief Secretary probed the matter, during which significant 'irregularities in construction practices and fund management' were uncovered. A committee was also constituted in this matter last year in March to examine the matter. 'The committee's findings, reported last year in May, revealed several lapses on the part of the PWD, including the diversion of funds intended for the construction of 20 classrooms at Trinagar School to Rani Bagh School and the construction of a multi purpose hall without obtaining the necessary approvals. Furthermore, the PWD failed to promptly address site issues, making decisions that lacked proper authority and oversight,' said officials. 'The misconduct in question dates back to 2019, but the case against another officer is considered time-barred due to his retirement from government service. The DOV's proposal has received endorsement from both the Principal Secretary (Vigilance) and the Chief Secretary,' the official added.
Indian Express
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Goa vigilance department suspends chief town planner pending ‘disciplinary proceeding'
The Goa government's Directorate of Vigilance Wednesday suspended Rajesh J Naik, the chief town planner (planning) of the Town and Country Planning (TCP) department. An order issued by the Directorate of Vigilance said that a 'disciplinary proceeding' against Naik is 'contemplated'. 'Now, therefore, the Governor of Goa, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-rule (1) of Rule 10 of the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965, hereby places said Rajesh J Naik, the Chief Town Planner (Planning), Town and Country Planning Department, Panaji – Goa, under suspension with immediate effect,' the order said. The suspension comes over two months after a petition was filed in the High Court of Bombay at Goa by some environmental activists. The petitioners sought disciplinary action against the chief town planner for allegedly causing loss of several crores to the exchequer by undervaluing assessment fees for the correction of a zone change of a plot under the contentious section 17 (2) of the Goa TCP Act. The petitioners also sought directions to the state to initiate an inquiry to ascertain the loss caused to the exchequer in the assessment of fees in respect of 120 cases published in the official Gazette for change in zoning under section 17 (2) since April 2024. The activists had also lodged a complaint with the police and vigilance department in February in this regard. Last month, the state government informed the HC that it found 46 beneficiaries of zone change wherein the fees for correction was underassessed. The state had said that a preliminary inquiry had been initiated by the vigilance department and a report would be submitted to the HC. Rajesh J Naik did not respond to calls for a comment. In October last year, members of several citizens' collectives, civil society and villages across the state had staged a protest outside the office of the Town and Country Planning department demanding Naik's resignation. The people had alleged that the chief town planner 'approved, endorsed and signed on' conversion of lakhs of square metres of land in the state under some contentious changes in land use laws, including under section 17 (2) and section 39 (A) of the TCP Act, causing severe damage to the coastal state's ecology.
