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Documented by Goa Desc Resource Centre Ph:2252660
Website: www.goadesc.org Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Press Clippings on the web: http://www.goadesc.org/mem/
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Corrupt officials: citizens can lodge complaints online
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With the launching of its website wherein citizens can lodge complaints
online, the state vigilance department is expecting more members of the
public to blow the whistle on corrupt government servants.
''Anybody can log in at http://vigilance.goa.gov.in and register as user
under his own id and password,'' the director of vigilance, Mr Ashwini Kumar
told The Navhind Times today. He said preferably, the complainant should
identify himself, but even if an anonymous complaint gives all the facts
properly, the department will take cognizance of the case and investigate it.
In any case, the identity of the complainant will remain confidential, Mr Kumar
said.
''The beauty of the website is that we can update it ourselves without
calling in the programmers,'' Mr Kumar said. This will ensure prompt
updates of the cases under investigation by the vigilance department
and the complainants can log in and check on the status of their
complaints sitting in their own houses. Mr Kumar expects the website
to encourage more citizens to complain against corrupt government
employees.
However, another problem that afflicts the vigilance department's
functioning remains. Mr Kumar said that the time taken by the enquiry
officers in disposing off cases is too long. "We have five retired government
officers functioning as enquiry officers. After we investigate the case, we
file the equivalent of the charge-sheet before these enquiry officers, who
are the equivalent of the courts. They listen to both parties and decide
guilt or innocence," Mr Kumar said.
Although these enquiry officers are set a time frame of six months to
dispose off a case, they sometimes extend the deadline. "Our main
challenge now is to see that the cases are disposed off expeditiously,"
Mr Kumar said. "We are advising the officers to take up day-to-day hearings."
The idea of hiring retired government servants as enquiry officers was
to ensure quick disposal of cases, he said.
While data pertaining to cases that have been disposed off during the
year are being compiled for entry into the website, the department
presently has about 50 cases under investigation. Mr Kumar says that
the vigilance department's investigations has resulted in penal action
against many government servants.
Many officers have been downgraded to lower posts, part-gratuity has been
deducted and stoppage of increments has been effected. Greater participation
of the public and quicker disposal of the cases will have a great impact in
curbing corruption and will bring more probity in public life, hoped Mr Kumar.
The Navhind Times 31/12/04 page 3
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GOA CIVIC AND CONSUMER ACTION NETWORK
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an initiative of GOA DESC RESOURCE CENTRE
to promote civic and consumer rights in Goa
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GOACAN Post Box 78 Mapusa, Goa 403 507
Tel: 2252660 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
website: www.goacan.org
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