LIT work takes back seat as new chief keeps Guj date

Ludhiana: As the working of Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) has come to a stand still with the trust remaining headless following a vigilance inquiry against its former chairman and other officials, all eyes are now on the new chairman Tarsem Singh Bhinder who is expected to join in the first week of December.
Bhinder is currently busy with the Gujarat assembly elections and is expected to join his office once he returns from there.
The trust officials meanwhile claimed that due to the vigilance inquiry into the works done by the LIT during the tenure of the previous government and the LIT currently remaining headless, the officials were reluctant to take any new decisions.
LIT officials mentioned that the work virtually came to a halt soon after the deputy commissioner Surabhi Malik relinquished her charge as incumbent chairman of the body in the wake of the notification declaring the new chairman on November 11. the official claimed in the absence of anyone to take the decisions, they were unable to move ahead and hence most of the works were stalled.
The LIT had initiated the work for several development works on behalf of the municipal corporation (MC) in the city before the assembly elections, but following the vigilance inquiry against the former chairman, the work came to a halt.
Major works like construction of a fire station, leisure valleys and roads in many wards, and beautification of Model Town market have been moving at a snail’s pace.
Even the draw of lots for Atal Apartment flats was conducted a while back, but the final approval for issuing the allotment letters is still pending at government-level. Sources revealed that the draw was conducted by officials who, along with the former chairman, were later accused in the corruption case, so the approval has still not been given by the government.
When contacted, Tarsem Singh Bhinder said, “We are at the last stage of (election) campaign in Gujarat and we will be back after December 4. It has been decided that on December 7, I will assume the charge as the new chairman of LIT and then its working would be back on track.”
Adding that he was aware of the situation in the LIT due to ongoing vigilance case against former chairman Raman Balasubramaniam and other officials who were posted here during his tenure, Bhinder said he would give his best and improve the condition of the body.
Notably since July early this year, the working of LIT has been stalled with the arrest of executive officer Kuljit Kaur and some clerks. The officials got transferred to other cities and the new staff joined, but they are not in a position to work out of fear of the vigilance bureau.