DM Ashish Chauhan Cracks Down on Fraudsters at Public Grievance Day: Gangster Act to Be Invoked in Overseas Job Scam, Swift Action Ordered on 171 Complaints
Immediate relief to differently-abled family deprived of pension for four years; strict directives issued on encroachments, land disputes and disaster-related issues
Dehradun:
Reaffirming the district administration’s commitment to prompt and effective public grievance redressal, District Magistrate Dr. Ashish Chauhan on Monday made it clear that fraud against citizens, exploitation of women and senior citizens, and negligence in implementing government welfare schemes would not be tolerated. Chairing the Samadhan Diwas (Public Grievance Day) at the Collectorate, the DM directed officials to ensure time-bound disposal of every complaint and warned of strict action against those found negligent.
A total of 171 grievances from residents across the district were heard during the public hearing. Most complaints were resolved on the spot, while the remaining were forwarded to the concerned departments with clear timelines for immediate action. The grievances primarily related to land disputes, illegal encroachments, demarcation, bank loans, compensation, social security pensions, legal and financial assistance, and reconstruction of assets damaged in natural disasters.
Gangster Act to Be Invoked Against Overseas Job Scam Accused
One of the most serious cases presented during the grievance hearing involved nearly 15 unemployed youths from the Rishikesh area, who alleged that they had been cheated by a person promising lucrative overseas jobs.
According to the complainants, the accused collected lakhs of rupees, seized their passports, and has been threatening them with dire consequences when they demanded the return of their money. Taking serious note of the matter, District Magistrate Dr. Ashish Chauhan immediately spoke with the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and directed that stringent legal action be initiated. He instructed the police that if the allegations are substantiated during investigation, proceedings under the Gangster Act should also be initiated to ensure exemplary punishment and prevent similar frauds targeting unemployed youth.
Immediate Relief for Differently-Abled Family Awaiting Pension for Four Years
Another emotionally significant case involved Sangeeta Devi of Nehru Gram, who informed the District Magistrate that her husband has been living with a disability for the past four years but could not receive a disability certificate. As a result, the family had been deprived of disability pension despite facing severe financial hardship.
Responding with urgency, the DM directed the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) to conduct the required medical examination on the same day and instructed the District Social Welfare Officer to ensure that the disability pension is sanctioned within one week. The necessary process was initiated immediately.
Inquiry Ordered in Bank Loan Harassment Case
A complainant, Archana Devi, sought restructuring of her bank loan, citing severe financial distress. She alleged that despite repeated requests, the bank authorities were subjecting her to mental harassment and pressuring her for loan recovery.
Taking cognizance of the matter, the District Magistrate directed the Lead Bank Officer to conduct a thorough inquiry and ensure a fair and lawful resolution while protecting the complainant from unnecessary harassment.
Probe Ordered After Elderly Woman Alleges Daughter Fraudulently Grabbed Her Land
In another sensitive matter, an elderly woman alleged that her daughter had deceitfully transferred her property into her own name.
The District Magistrate ordered the concerned Circle Officer (CO) to conduct a detailed investigation and submit a report so that appropriate legal action could be taken based on the findings.
Strict Action Against Illegal Encroachments and Unauthorized Construction
Complaints regarding illegal encroachments and unauthorized constructions on public roads in Raipur Gram Panchayat, Raiwala, and Naya Gaon (Sewala Khurd) were also taken up during the hearing.
The District Magistrate directed the concerned Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) and police officials to immediately remove the illegal constructions. He also ordered a tenant verification drive in the Naya Gaon area to strengthen law and order.
Immediate Measures for Public Safety and Infrastructure
Taking note of complaints regarding electricity lines passing through tree branches in Nathuwala, the District Magistrate instructed the Forest and Electricity Departments to jointly inspect the site and eliminate the safety hazard without delay.
Similarly, after receiving complaints about clogged drains in the IRDE Sundarwala area causing waterlogging and posing a threat to residential buildings, the DM directed the District Disaster Management Officer to coordinate with the concerned departments and ensure immediate drainage arrangements.
Disaster-Affected Irrigation Infrastructure to Be Restored
The District Magistrate also ordered the Minor Irrigation Department to prepare proposals for reconstructing an irrigation canal and protective retaining wall damaged during recent disasters in Myundha village of Chakrata.
He further instructed the department to expedite a proposal for repairing the damaged irrigation channel (Gool) in Bansar village, where landslides have severely affected irrigation and caused losses to farmers cultivating cash crops.
Concluding the proceedings, District Magistrate Dr. Ashish Chauhan said that Samadhan Diwas is not merely a platform for hearing complaints but a mechanism to ensure timely and effective solutions to public problems.
He emphasized that strict accountability would be fixed for officials who fail to resolve grievances within the prescribed timeline. The administration, he said, will follow a zero-tolerance policy in cases involving fraud against unemployed youth, exploitation of women and senior citizens, illegal encroachments, and other matters affecting public interest.
The public hearing was attended by Additional District Magistrate (Finance & Revenue) K.K. Mishra, City Magistrate Rajesh Tiwari, SDMs Ravindra Jwantha and Vinod Kumar, Project Director Vikram Singh, District Development Officer Sunil Kumar, Chief Education Officer V.K. Dhaudiyal, District Social Welfare Officer Deepankar Ghildiyal, District Programme Officer Jitendra Kumar, Tehsildars Surendra Dev and Vivek Rajouri, along with district-level officers from various departments. Other SDMs and officials participated virtually.
