Officers Must Ensure Immediate Resolution of Public Grievances; Any Delay Will Invite Action: Energy Minister Anil Vij
Energy Minister Anil Vij directs SDM to investigate an eight-month delay by a Patwari in processing a mutation; orders suspension if found guilty
Reprimands Municipal Council officials over failure to conduct fire safety inspections and verify Fire NOCs of several hotels in Lal Kurti
Chandigarh, November 12: Haryana Energy, Transport and Labour Minister Sh. Anil Vij today issued a stern warning to officials of all departments, directing them to ensure the prompt resolution of public grievances. He made it clear that unnecessary delays in resolving people's complaints would not be tolerated and that he would not hesitate to take action against officials responsible for such delays.
Addressing officials during a public grievance hearing at the PWD Rest House in Ambala Cantonment, Sh. Vij emphasised that people should not be forced to make repeated visits to government offices to get their genuine grievances addressed. He directed officials to ensure timely action and accountability in every case.
SDM Directed to Investigate Eight-Month Delay in Mutation; Suspension Ordered if Patwari Found Guilty
Taking serious note of a complaint regarding an eight-month delay by a Patwari in processing a land mutation at the Ambala Cantonment Tehsil, Energy Minister Sh. Anil Vij directed the SDM, Ambala Cantonment, to conduct an investigation and take strict action.
The complainant informed the Minister that despite repeatedly visiting the Tehsil office, his mutation had not been processed for the past eight months. Taking strong exception to the matter, Sh. Vij questioned why the Patwari was forcing the applicant to make repeated visits without resolving the issue.
He directed the SDM to investigate the reasons behind the delay and ordered that the Patwari be suspended if found guilty of negligence or dereliction of duty. In another case, a senior citizen complained that a Patwari was not processing his property registration-related work. The Minister took serious note of the grievance and directed the concerned authorities to take appropriate action.
Reprimands Municipal Council Officials Over Lack of Fire Safety Inspections and Fire NOCs at Hotels in Lal Kurti
A resident of Lal Kurti brought to the Minister's notice that a fire incident had recently occurred in the area, yet the Municipal Council, Fire Brigade and Police Department had allegedly failed to take appropriate action. The complainant further alleged that several hotels in Lal Kurti were operating without the requisite Fire No Objection Certificates (NOCs), and that the concerned authorities had not taken adequate steps to address the potential safety risks.
Taking serious cognisance of the complaint, Sh. Anil Vij reprimanded the Municipal Council officials and directed them to take immediate action. He emphasised the importance of ensuring compliance with fire safety requirements so that avoidable incidents and risks to human life could be prevented.
SP Directed to Take Strict Action Against Agents (Kabootarbaz)
Energy Minister Sh. Anil Vij directed the Superintendent of Police, Ambala, to take strict action against those involved in illegal immigration fraud and human trafficking-related activities, commonly referred to as 'Kabootarbazi'. Recalling the action taken during his tenure as Home Minister, Sh. Vij stated that he had constituted two Special Investigation Teams (SITs) on separate occasions, through which strict action had been taken against hundreds of alleged agents involved in such activities. He observed that such elements appeared to be active again and directed the police authorities to take firm and effective action against those involved in exploiting innocent people through fraudulent immigration schemes.
Municipal Council Officials Pulled Up for Failure to Recover Property Tax for 17 Years
During the public grievance hearing, a woman complained about the functioning of the Municipal Council, alleging that property tax on certain shops had not been recovered for the past 17 years despite repeated complaints.
Taking strong exception to the matter, Sh. Anil Vij questioned the officials over the prolonged delay in recovering the outstanding property tax. Expressing surprise over the matter, he asked why the Municipal Council had failed to take timely action for nearly 17 years. He directed the concerned officials to take necessary action within one week and ensure appropriate follow-up in the matter.
In another complaint, a woman from the Green Park area reported that garbage was continuously being dumped in a vacant plot near her residence, resulting in unhygienic conditions in the locality. The Minister directed Municipal Council officials to take strict action against the plot owner in accordance with the applicable rules.
SE Directed to Take Action Over Electricity Poles Blocking Street in Naseeb Bagh
Residents of Naseeb Bagh complained that electricity poles had been installed in the middle of a street, allegedly over a sewerage line, thereby obstructing approximately four feet of the passage.
They further informed the Minister that a transformer had also been installed on these poles, creating a potential safety hazard for residents. Despite submitting complaints to the Electricity Department, no effective action had reportedly been taken.
Taking cognisance of the matter, Sh. Vij directed the Superintending Engineer (SE) and Executive Engineer (XEN) of the Electricity Department to investigate the issue and take appropriate corrective action.
Several pension-related grievances were also brought before the Minister, following which he directed the concerned departmental staff to take necessary action.
During the public grievance hearing, several other complaints were also brought to the attention of Energy Minister Sh. Anil Vij. The Minister took cognisance of these grievances and directed the respective departments and authorities to examine the matters and take appropriate action in accordance with the law.
Energy Minister Distributes Grant Cheques Worth Lakhs to Gaushala Committees
During the public grievance hearing, Energy Minister Sh. Anil Vij distributed grant cheques worth lakhs of rupees to various Gaushala committees. He informed that the State Government had provided financial assistance amounting to ₹87.50 crore for the operation and management of 635 Gaushalas across Haryana.
As part of this initiative, a grant cheque of ₹27.13 lakh was handed over to the Rambagh Gaushala Committee, Ambala Cantonment, while a cheque of ₹4 lakh was given to the Gaushala Committee of Village Khatauli.
Shaheed Smarak Will Attract Visitors from Across the World and Benefit Ambala: Anil Vij
Speaking to media representatives on the occasion, Sh. Anil Vij said that a magnificent Shaheed Smarak commemorating the First War of Independence of 1857 had been established in Ambala Cantonment. The memorial was inaugurated by Union Home Minister Sh. Amit Shah on November 5.
He said that, on the directions of the Chief Minister, free ticket bookings had been announced for the first month. The response was overwhelming, with all tickets for the entire month getting booked within just a few hours of the announcement.
He added that arrangements for paid entry tickets would be introduced shortly, and the ticket prices would be announced soon. There would be ticketing arrangements for all sections of society, including special provisions for schoolchildren.
Sh. Vij expressed confidence that the Shaheed Smarak would attract visitors from across India and around the world, bringing significant benefits to Ambala and boosting the city's prominence as an important historical and tourism destination.
SDM Kanika Goyal, DSP Kuldeep, Municipal Council Vice-Chairman Lalita Prasad, Ajay Baweja and officers from various departments were present on the occasion.
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Chhath Puja to Be Celebrated at a Permanent Ghat in Ambala Cantonment--Energy Minister Anil Vij
A one-acre Chhath Ghat developed near the Tangri River bridge at Chandpura; Energy Minister Anil Vij inspects arrangements ahead of Chhath Puja
Chandigarh, November 12: Haryana Energy, Transport and Labour Minister, Sh. Anil Vij said that Chhath Puja is an important festival of the country, during which devotees worship Chhathi Maiya with great devotion. A large number of people in Ambala Cantonment and the surrounding areas celebrate this festival.
He said that devotees traditionally stand at water bodies and perform rituals as part of the celebrations. However, Ambala Cantonment did not previously have a permanent Chhath Ghat, forcing people to arrange temporary water-filled spaces on vacant plots to perform the rituals. Keeping this in view, a permanent Chhath Ghat is now being developed over an area of one acre in Ambala Cantonment.
Sh. Vij added that the remaining development work would be undertaken after Chhath Puja. The facility will include toilets, changing rooms, electricity arrangements and other essential amenities for the convenience of devotees. The Minister was inspecting the ongoing construction of the Chhath Ghat at Chandpura, near the Tangri River bridge in Ambala Cantonment, this morning.
During the inspection, Energy Minister Anil Vij interacted with officials from various departments present at the site regarding the arrangements for Chhath Puja and issued necessary directions. He instructed the officials to ensure adequate lighting, water supply and other essential facilities for devotees. He particularly emphasised that sufficient water must be made available to fill the ghat and directed that a signboard bearing the name of the Chhath Ghat be installed at the site.
It is noteworthy that the Chhath Ghat is being constructed through the personal efforts of Energy Minister Anil Vij. He had sanctioned an amount of ₹50 lakh from his discretionary fund for the construction of the facility, and the project is being executed using these funds.
On his arrival at the site for the inspection, Shri Vij was warmly welcomed by members of the Mithilanchal Navayuvak Seva Samiti.
Among those present on the occasion were Councillor Jasbir Singh Jassi, Madan Lal Sharma, Sudarshan Singh Sehgal, Fakir Chand Saini and Ravi Jat. Officials from various departments also attended, including Municipal Council Municipal Engineer Harish Goyal, Electricity Corporation Executive Engineer Vikas Kumar, and Public Health Department Executive Engineer Harbhajan Singh, along with other officials.