Five Ongole civic officials suspended over alleged building permission irregularities

Action follows an inquiry that found officials approved a commercial building plan allegedly flouted by the owner, while a show-cause notice was issued to the former municipal commissioner.

Image used for representational purposes. (Express Illustration)

ONGOLE: The State government suspended five Ongole Municipal Corporation Town Planning officials, including the Town Planning Officer (TPO), Town Planning Supervisor (TPS) and three Ward Planning and Regulation Secretaries (WPRS), over alleged building permission irregularities. It issued a show-cause notice to former OMC Commissioner Koduri Venkateswara Rao, seeking explanation within 15 days.

Director of Town and Country Planning B Srinivasulu on Tuesday suspended TPO K Babu Rao and TPS Sk Rasool based on inter-departmental inquiry and a report submitted by the Regional Deputy Director of Town Planning, Guntur.

Regional Deputy Director of Town and Country Planning P Madhu Kumar suspended G Sai Murali Krishna, WPRS and Town Planning Building Overseer (in-charge), K Joshi, currently posted in Chirala Municipality & S Sirisha, WPRS.

The suspended officials will remain under suspension until disciplinary proceedings are completed. The inquiry found officials approved a stilt, ground and one-floor commercial building but the owner allegedly constructed three additional floors, zoning rules and violating sanctioned plan. It held the then Commissioner and TPOs responsible for granting illegal permission.