Chandigarh had last year ranked 16th nationally and eighth in the 10 lakh plus category, thus bringing the overall performance down by several notches. In a fallout of Chandigarh slipping in the latest Swachh Survekshan survey to rank 66, the UT Administration on Monday prematurely terminated the tenure of officer incharge Amrit Warring (Amrit Pal Singh), Medical Officer of Health, and ordered his repatriation. Also, he was debarred from holding any position in Chandigarh Administration in future. He was relieved in the evening.
The decision comes two days after the declaration of Swachh Survekshan results. Amrit had taken extension till 2024.
Sources said that already the high-ups were upset with Warring.
A statement issued by the Chandigarh Administration on Monday evening stated, “Setting exemplary decision, the Governor, Punjab and Administrator, UT Chandigarh, Banwarilal Purohit, today relieved Amrit Pal Singh, Medical Officer of Health, Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh with immediate effect and also debarred him from ever holding any post in future in Chandigarh Administration.”
“Due to his less than desirable efforts on the sanitation front, the city of Chandigarh has fallen from 16 to 66 in the Swachh Survekshan ranking of 2021,” the statement said.
It was stated, “Taking a serious note about the misconduct of services (sic) and failures during his tenure, this decision was taken after strong recommendations by Anindita Mitra, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Chandigarh. She today sought his immediate repatriation to his parent state- Punjab. Keeping in view the larger interests of the organization and city, the Commissioner recommended his repatriation due to his lapses in tendering an important work for which Municipal Corporation will have to bear an expenditure of Rs 16.50 crore for four months extension to the present company.”
Earlier, the Commissioner had also proposed a chargesheet for major penalty against the MOH in another tender case of outsourcing of drivers for 96 vehicles, which are still not used for door-to-door garbage collection of un-serviced areas.
The action was recommended earlier over the delay in the tender process for getting a company that manages to sweep in the southern belt. It was because of the alleged delay that the extension to the existing Lions Company had to be given which caused about Rs 16.5 crore to the civic body that it has to pay to them.
On Saturday, Chandigarh residents got a shock when the city was ranked 66th nationally (score-wise) and clinched 16th rank in the 10 lakh plus population category in the Swachh Survekshan 2021 results.
Of the total 6,000 marks, Chandigarh got an overall score of 4,277.29. Last year, the city had got a score of 4,970.07. Score-wise Chandigarh ranked 66th which included all urban local bodies. In the sub-category of 10 lakh and above population, Chandigarh got the rank 16 out of 48 urban local bodies that fall in this category.
Chandigarh had last year ranked 16th nationally and eighth in the 10 lakh plus category, thus bringing the overall performance down by several notches.
This year, the survekshan included components of service level progress, certification and citizens’ voice. There was disappointment for city residents as in the top 25 cities declared by the government in more than 1 lakh category, Chandigarh’s name didn’t figure at all.
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