Mohammad Tahir:
SRINAGAR: The In-Charge Executive Officer, Municipal Council Sopore, suspended by the Director Urban Local Bodies Kashmir and has been attached with Executive Engineer Town Drainage Division, Kashmir with immediate effect.
Director Urban Local Bodies, Kashmir suspended in charge Executive Officer, MC Soproe vide order no: DULB/PS/601 of 2019 Dated 01/05/2019, and vide dispatch no: DULB/Estt/8693-8700 Dated: 01/05/2019.
The order reads that allegations were leveled against Abdul Lateef Mir I/C Executive Officer, Municipal Council Sopore-report of inspection team and suspension thereof.
The elected President of Municipal Council Sopore vide communication No. PMC/Spr/19/33 dated 26/04/2019 has leveled allegations against Abdul Lateef Mir I/C Executive Officer, Municipal Council Sopore with regard to mismanagement of official business, reads the order.
The order further reads that the team of officer headed by Accounts Officer, Directorate of Urban Local Bodies was instructed to visit Municipal Council Sopore and submit the detailed factual report.
The inspection team submitted its report wherein inter-alia the following derelictions have been pointed out, like Drawl/disbursement of salary by the I/C Executive officer in favour of non-existing employees in violation of section 307 of Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Act, 2000/SRO: 417 dated 18/12/2008 (Jammu and Kashmir Urban Local Body Institutions (Management) service recruitment rules) and causing loss to public exchequer, the order said.
The order also said that, non-deduction of income tax at source in respect of salary, mismanagement in issuance of building permissions, violations on account of drawl of salary without counter signatures as per standing instructions of the Directorate.
“Now therefore, in view of the above facts, Abdul Latief Mir, I/C Executive Officer, Municipal Council Sopore is hereby placed under suspension and attached with office of the Executive Engineer, Town Drainage Division Kashmir with immediate effect. The detailed charge sheet against the said officer along with all other delinquent officers/officials pointed out by the team shall follow,” reads the order copy.
However sources also said that, Mir, was also attached in 2018, vide No. 169-HUD of 2015 dated 30/06/2015 as the then there were also allegations of dereliction of funds and other mismanagement in the said department.
The said official had illegally appointed various persons in the department concerned without approval from the higher ups, and he had not only brought bad reputation to the department, but there was huge loss to state exchequer, sources informed.
Sources said that, in 2018 a letter was dispatched to in charge Executive Officer Sopore, wherein Director ULBK has mentioned that you are directed not to make any drawl without the counter sign of Accounts Officer DULBK.
Even though last year the Director Urban Local Bodies, Kashmir has sent a letter to the In-Charge Executive Officer, Municipal Council, Sopore vide no: DULB/A/267-71 Dated 08-01-2019.
With regard to drawl of money from the accounts of Municipal Council Sopore, letter reads that, ‘in this context you are directed not to make any drawl/transaction from the accounts of the Municipal Council Sopore, without counter signatures of the Accounts officer of the Directorate till further instructions’.
The order copy was also sent to Financial Commissioner HUDD, Treasury Officer Sopore, Accounts Officer DULBK, Manager J&K Bank Branch TP/New Colony Sopore, Manager Axix Bank Sopore Baramulla, wherein it was requested that the cheques /advices should not be drawn without the counter sign of Accounts officer of DULBK.