Using fire brigade vehicle to clean roads raises eyebrows

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 19

Using a fire brigade vehicle for cleaning and washing roads by the Municipal Corporation has raised eyebrows as it is a violation of the fire brigade manual.

The civic body has initiated the cleaning work for the Swachhta Sarvekhan-2019.

Questions are being raised over the timing of carrying out the cleaning work. Besides, it is being said instead of taking care of the sanitation condition whole year, the civic body is doing the same only during the Swachhta Sarvekhan for a month.

Residents are of the view that MC officials are only concern about getting a good rank only.

They said water was being wasted for cleaning dividers and roads just getting a good rank.

District Fire Officer Jaswinder Singh said, “The MC has informed us to use our vehicle for cleaning dividers on the GT Road for the beautification of the city as Swachhta Sarvekhan-2019 is going on. We will be able to secure a good rank.”

Mayor Balwant Rai Nath said he could not comment on this, but he would take the matter seriously.

On being asked whether these vehicles will be used permanently or temporary, the Mayor said this is a temporary arrangement due to the ongoing Swachhta Sarvekhan-2019.

Senior Deputy Mayor Tarsem Goyal said, “It is not fair at all. It is a makeshift arrangement. If the authorities are so serious about cleanliness, permanent machines and manpower should be pressed into service. I have always opposed this and will appreciate if roads are cleaned on a regular basis.”

The MC has many water tankers and is even paying huge money to the contractor for road-sweeping machines in the city. Despite this, the MC has failed to maintain the cleanliness of roads. Now, it is using fire brigade vehicles for the purpose.

While the debt-ridden MC struggles to manage its resources to continue development work in the city, it doesn’t grudge paying more than Rs5.5 lakh per a month to the company hired for cleaning roads with the help of sweeping machines.