GUWAHATI, April 30 � As part of an effort to check and prevent misdeed and corruption in the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), the civic body has constituted a vigilance cell.
�The cell would be headed by the GMC Commissioner, who will serve as the Chief Vigilance Officer, and will also include the GMC Additional Commissioner and Zonal Commissioner I and II as Vigilance Officers.
This was stated in a copy of the Office Memorandum issued by GMC Commissioner S Viswanathan.
�The main objective of the establishment of a vigilance cell is to check and prevent corruption in GMC. The GMC reiterates firm and priority commitment to all-out efforts for achieving a clean and transparent administration, accountable to the rule of law, responsive to public grievances and free from misdeed and corruption and with this objective the GMC desires that a vigilance cell be established and it functions properly and efficiently,� it said.
It added that the vigilance cell would function towards achieving a streamlined and efficient system of attending to the various public grievances.
�Whenever the Chief Vigilance Officer or Vigilance Officer asks to see any paper or any matter relating to any branch, it shall be made available to him by the head of the concerned branch. The Chief Vigilance Officer or Vigilance Officer shall be consulted by the branch authorities through the head of the branch in all matters relating to vigilance,� it said.
The document added that all public grievances and complaints will be thoroughly investigated and reports will be submitted to the Chief Vigilance Officer through concerned Vigilance Officers.
�The Personnel Branch of the GMC is the nodal branch to deal with all the matters relating to vigilance,� it said, adding that the instructions have come into force with immediate effect.
It said that the major emphasis in the sphere of vigilance in Public Administration is on the preventive and precautionary measures to check and minimize likely misdeeds and corruption in the sensitive activities under various departments of the GMC.
�The GMC gets sufficient funds from the State government as well as Central government for implementation of various schemes, plans and projects for benefit of urban citizens. Hence proper vigilance is essential to prevent huge quantity of funds from being siphoned out and to ensure completion of the schemes. The collection of the property taxes, licence fees, market fees are also found unsatisfactory due to un-assessed or under assessment of holdings and lack of proper assessment of licence fees,� said the GMC.
It added that despite preventive measures there still remain some instances of misdeeds or corruption.
�Each of these needs to be investigated properly and thoroughly and firm and expeditious action needs to be taken as per law against the wrongdoers within the GMC and others. The investigation or inquiry would be departmental, magisterial, or by the police or vigilance organization, depending on the situation... If the investigation/inquiry in specific instances reveals any system deficiency or inadequacy, it would also have to be rectified,� it said.
