Vohra concerned over corruption in J

Srinagar, Jul 30 (UNI) Expressing concern over the menace of corruption, Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra today called for restoring the trust of people in the administration by making it more transparent and corruption-free.

Inaugurating the Eighth Departmental Vigilance Officers (DVO) conference here today, the Governor said that erosion of credibility lends credence to the common perception that while the rich could get their jobs done by greasing the palms of the corrupt, it is actually the poor who generally suffers.

The Governor called upon the civil society and the media to educate the people on enormous importance of the government working in a transparent and an honest manner.

He called for speedy disposal of the cases relating to corruption in the trial courts and said that preventive and punitive measures would greatly help in treating this malady.

He, however, cautioned against summary media investigations and trials of corruption cases through sting operations, saying that these could lead to damaging reputations once the accused are found innocent at a later stage.

While appreciating the pro-active role of vigilance organisation in combating corruption, the Governor said that the influential and the higher ups should not escape the dragnet for their omissions and commissions.

He said that the pay packages of the civil servants have increased manifold over the years, which is good enough for them to lead a relatively comfortable life.

''Making money by dishonest means is a crime of the highest order,'' he said, adding that the need for vigilance organisations have arisen as a few unscrupulous people tend to siphon the public money through unfair means.

Referring to the Transparency International Report on Jammu and Kashmir a few years ago, the Governor hoped that the civil servants would maintain high ethics of civil service in terms of honesty and devotion to duty, instead of getting bogged down by such type of comments.

UNI BAS ASM SBC UCS1858