Official calls for preventive vigilance mechanism to curb graft

Bangalore, Nov 6 : Lok Ayukta Additional Director General of Police Roopak Kumar Dutta today called for setting up of preventive vigilance mechanism in all departments to curb corruption.

Speaking at a function organised to observe "Vigilance Week" at the Miller Road branch of Syndicate Bank here, he regretted no state had implemented it excepting Delhi. It was very difficult to tackle corruption at higher levels unless proper systems and procedures were put in place, he observed.

Explaining the activities of various anti corruption institutions such as the Central Bureau of Investigation, Anti Corruption Bureau and Lok Ayukta across the country he said mere registering cases would be of no use unless dedication to wipe out corruption was there. Commitment to Vigilance at the central level was at low, he rued.

In this context he also referred to the withdrawal of suo motto power given to the Lok Ayukta in Karnataka in 1986 and said the same power was not withdrawn in case of Upa Lok Ayukta who dealt with corruption cases at lower levels.

He exhorted the need to have anti corruption ethos and said the people should stop encouraging corruption by giving money. It was unfortunate that only two types of people approached the Lok Ayukta and they were those who were harassed by officials severely and the other type was those who were unable to meet the "hefty demands" by officials.

Quoting the example of Hong Kong which successfully fought corruption over last few years following recommendations made by Independent Agency Against Corruption, he said the rampant corruption in that country had been curbed to a great extent. If Hong Kong could do it, it could be done more efficiently in India provided there was a crusade against the evil practice, he felt.

Bank's Chief Vigilance Officer M R Bagade, in his keynote address, said though corruption in public sector banks was at low level there was a need to plug loopholes in the system with the help of both bankers and customers.

General Manager G Ramanathan and Branch Chief Manager T V Anjaneyulu were present.

--UNI

(c) 2009 Published with permission from United News of India.
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