Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister conducts surprise inspection of government offices

BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan conducted surprise inspection of several government offices here during which he also got an officer fined for smoking inside the premises.

The Chief Minister's inspection tour yesterday, which included checking of a newly constructed road here, came as a surprise even to the district collector who remained unaware about it until the last minute.

According to sources, the Chief Minister during his inspection found Joint Director, Town and Country Planning, V P Kulshreshtha smoking inside his office, following which he directed the collector to fine him Rs 200 on the spot. He also visited offices of Town and Country Planning department and Kolar Nagar Palika here.

Officials said that the Chief Minister had received a complaint about delay in delivery of building permission from one Prem Narayan Singh Lodhi. Lodhi had alleged that the officer concerned had demanded a bribe.

During his inspection, the Chief Minister also spoke to an applicant and asked him for how long he had been waiting to get building permission, and whether any bribe was demanded from him ever.

Chouhan ordered the collector to check all files from the department, and said strict action will be taken if the applications were not disposed off within the prescribed time. He also stopped at a colony here on his way to Shahpura and inspected a newly-constructed road.

The Chief Minister asked for a pick-axe and dug up on a spot to check the quality of construction. He then asked the officials to give a quality report in two hours.Officials claimed that traffic was not stopped at any point for the Chief Minister's cavalcade during the tour.