Chennai: In an attempt to eradicate corruption in Madurai Corporation, the Madras high court has directed the Commissioner, Madurai Corporation, to set up Vigilance Booths in the front desk of all the Corporation offices and buildings and install CCTV cameras to monitor the functioning within 4 weeks, enabling the residents of Madurai city to provide information and to submit complaints in respect of illegalities or irregularities and corrupt activities in Madurai Corporation functioning and implementation of projects.
Justice S. M. Subramaniam also directed the Madurai Corporation Commissioner to strengthen the Vigilance Cell of the Madurai Corporation and issue suitable orders for its efficient functioning.
"The Commissioner, Madurai Corporation is directed to install adequate display boards and affix notices in all the corporation offices/buildings stating phraseologies like 'Offering corruptions and receiving corruptions are heinous offence', 'the corrupt activities infringes the rights of citizens', 'the corrupt activities affects the development of our great nation' and all other suitable phraseologies and information as decided by the Madurai Corporation are also to be displayed," the judge added.
The judge said the Vigilance Cell functioning in Madurai Corporation shall form special secret teams, so as to conduct surprise inspections of the functioning of the Madurai Corporation. The special team must be functioning under the direct control of the Commissioner, Madurai Corporation as well as the Vigilance Officer who was in charge of the Vigilance department. The Commissioner, Madurai Corporation, is directed to issue consolidated instructions to all the employees of the Madurai corporation to furnish the particulars and details of properties of both moveable and immoveable, in their names and in the names of their family members including their dependents within 12 weeks", the judge added.
The judge said the Commissioner, Madurai Corporation, on receipt of such particulars shall verify the same along with the particulars provided by all such officials/employees at the time of joining into corporation service.
The discrepancies and the differences, if any noticed shall be investigated in detail by the Vigilance Cell and by the competent authorities and proper prosecution and disciplinary proceedings were to be initiated by following the procedures contemplated.
"The Commissioner, Madurai Corporation, is directed to constitute Special Teams and the Vigilance Teams for conducting inspections and enquiries of all the ongoing building projects and the violations, unauthorised constructions are to be immediately dealt with in accordance with law. In the event of identifying any such large scale violations and unauthorised constructions, appropriate disciplinary actions are to be initiated against the Junior Engineers, Assistant Engineers, Executive Engineers and Zonal Officers concerned and there cannot be any leniency in this regard to be shown. The officials concerned are to be held responsible for all such violations in their jurisdiction. The said exercise is to be done within 12 weeks", the judge added.
The judge directed the Commissioner, Madurai Corporation to conduct review meetings with the officials within 4 weeks and issue consolidated instructions/suitable orders to identify all encroachments, unauthorised and unlawful occupations of corporation lands, buildings etc. and initiate appropriate actions for eviction of encroachments, unlawful and unauthorised occupations by following the procedures contemplated under the Encroachments Act and all other relevant statutes and the Rules, as applicable to the Corporation of Madurai.
