By Arfat Khan
Jammu: The intriguing episode which unreasonably projected an upright Joint Commissioner (Admn) Ashish Gupta as ‘angry man’ has once again exposed the alleged malafide intention of a bunch of councillors who have formed an alliance to hijack functioning of Jammu Municipal Corporation to grind their own axe.
There are reliable inputs that a group of councillors claiming to be gospel of truth in several General House Meetings of JMC but in reality want their every wrong things justified in contradiction to the laid down norms of municipal act.
Interestingly, in last two GHM’s, one councillor tear apart the functioning of JMC while projecting himself as self styled lord of honesty.
Surprisingly, the name of this councillor was doing the rounds for abortive bid in establishing five Kiosks in prime land worth crores at Auqaf Market in Gandhi Nagar.
“Had the iron lady Professor on whose backside of the residence this broadday light encroachment was undergoing not acted tough, the influential encroachers have raised their kiosks, said JMC sources
If sources are to believed, the entire plot was pre planned to malign image of JC (A) as the later has initiated action against one Harish Malhotra for several violation in construction of a residential structure in contradiction to the approved map plan in sector 1 Trikuta Nagar.
It’s learnt that the violator is said to be relative of councillor Neena Gupta who allegedly was pressurising the JC (A) for ignoring the violation of said building.
When, the Jt Commissioner refuses to yield to the pressure tactics of councillor, the latter created drama besides obstructing the officer from performing his official duty in his chamber, said an employee of JMC preferring anonymity.
It’s a routine practice in JMC, whenever any officer stands against the unwarranted demands of some councillors, they indulged in mud slugging to tarnish their image, said one officer of JMC.
It’s because of this sad affairs, every Joint Commissioner (A) prefer transfer from JMC prior to completion of its tenure, added sources.
Ironically, in last two years three Jt Commissioner (A) prefered exit from JMC and the current is trying his best for transfer to keep intact his clean and upright image, added sources.
Neena Gupta while maintaining herself as ‘victim’ told JKGN “I am aghast at the ‘irrational’ behaviour of JC (A) who shout at me without any reason.
But, the truth remains that every sensible citizens aware of what lies behind the curtain which turns an office of upright JC (A) into acrimonious war room for a group of councillors.