Chandigarh, October 25
The Mayor, Ms Harjinder Kaur, has recommended an inquiry into the purchase of “sub-standard and excessive RCC pipes worth crores’’ reportedly lying unused for the past three years.
“It has been alleged that the purchase for storm water drainage in 1, 2 and 3 pockets of Manimajra and for works at the Press Chowk in Sector 52 during November 1998 and April 1999 was made from two city and one Mohali based companies having two different titles with the same address,’’ she said in a letter written yesterday to the Municipal Commissioner, Mr M. P. Singh.
It is further alleged that material, which had developed cracks, was “sub-standard and purchased in violation of the departmental rules, which clearly state that care should be taken not to make any purchase in advance of the actual requirement.’’
She said the purchases had resulted in the loss amounting to lack of rupees to the fund-starved civic body.
The purchases were made during the Mayorship of the BJP.
The corporation officials had admitted that the pipes were purchased three years back claiming that the pipes had been lying unused as the UT Administration had changed the planning of the area.
It, however, denied that there had been any damage to the pipes and they would be used for the same project.
The inquiry may kick off a spate of allegations and counter-allegations among political parties and various groups in these parties.
The issue is going to be reflected in the meeting of the Municipal Corporation House scheduled for October 29.
The Congress, which faced embarrassment over the supply of soap from its Mayor Rajkumar Goel’s firm which resulted in his resignation, is now likely to attack the BJP for allowing “corrupt’’ practices during its term without any action.
The Chandigarh Vikas Party (CVP) led by former Union Minister, Mr Harmohan Dhawan, may also attack both parties in the House to be hand in glove with the corrupt.
