Ward officer suspended for allegedly facilitating illegal construction

Srinagar: A ward officer in charge of two wards in Srinagar outskirts has been placed under suspension for allegedly facilitating illegal construction without approval from the competent authority in Srinagar outskirts. Srinagar Municipal Corporation has said that due to the action of the said ward officer, the Corporation has incurred losses, which will be assessed.
Quoting sources a local news gathering agency reported that after receiving a complaint that the ward officer Sajad Ahmad Panjabi in charge of Ward 16 (Soura Bachpora) and Ward 14 (Zakoora) has illegally facilitated the construction work at a place, not encouraging the party to seek legal permission, the Srinagar Municipal Corporation suspended the said ward officer.
In order to assess the losses incurred by the Corporation due to the ward officer’s action, Joint Commissioner Planning Ghulam Hasan Mir has been appointed as inquiry officer. He has been directed to furnish his report within a week.
The suspended ward officer has been attached to the office of the Chief Sanitation Officer.
Sources added that ward officer Sheikh Ilyas of Ward 13 (Batapora) has been given additional charge of Ward 14 (Zakura) while Basharat Ahmed ward officer Nowshera (Ward 17) has been given additional charge of Ward 16 (Bachpora Soura).
A ward officer on condition of anonymity said that it is difficult for the people of Srinagar outskirts to get building permission from the authorities. “A ward officer is left with no option but to compromise with the people when they start construction work in their area,” he added.