Ludhiana chambers relent on graft issue

Local industry groups have taken a U-turn from its previous stand of fighting "corruption" among excise and taxation department officials in Ludhiana.

After three days of conflict between excise officials and industrialists, both parties sat down to settle the issue on Sunday, though the end result was far from satisfactory, with industrial groups giving different versions of the event.

That the issue was far from thrashed out was clear when the Punjab Excise and Taxation Officers' (ETOs) Association decided against withdrawing its demands for the time being.

After the meeting, one industrial group said Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner (AETC) D K Verma felt "sorry" over the whole issue, while another group called it a "mutual understanding". A third group, meanwhile, stated that they were left "not satisfied" with the meeting.

But the industrial groups, which were asking for action against Verma and an enquiry into his assets, today backtracked, stating that their demands are deferred for now.

Today's meeting was organised at the unit of S C Ralhan, the regional chairman of the Engineering Export Promotion Council.

The AETC said the industrial groups called the meeting, and District Congress Committee (DCC) President Jagmohan Sharma was also present.

"Our misunderstandings have been sorted out (in the meeting) and we will organise a meeting of all ETOs with some representatives of industry tomorrow to address any other issue (that may have been unresolved)."