Mohali gets Rs 36 lakh to purchase two modern pruning machines

Mohali, December 5

The Punjab government today handed over a cheque for Rs 36 lakh to the Mohali Municipal Corporation to procure two modern pruning machines for cutting and pruning of trees in the city.

Balbir Singh Sidhu, Minister for Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development, handed over the cheque from his discretionary fund to Kanu Thind, Joint Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation, for the purchase of machines for cutting and pruning of trees on the pattern of Chandigarh and Delhi.

Sidhu said the cost of each machine was Rs 16.5 lakh and Rs 3 lakh was for the operation and maintenance of the machines. He also directed Municipal Corporation officials to start the work of pruning and even cutting of trees in a planned manner in the city within 15 days after the procurement of machines. He said these modern machines could cut and prune the trees up to the height of 32 feet.

Answering to a question on the procurement of machines worth Rs 1.8 crore procured by the Municipal Corporation, he said a complete inquiry in this regard would be conducted and strict action would be taken against the defaulters.

He said instead of a single machine, now 2 machines were being procured, which would save Rs 1.5 crore. Sidhu said he was committed for the overall development of the city. He also directed the officials to execute development works in the entire city without any discrimination.

Kanu Thind, Joint Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation, assured that the said amount would be spent only for the procurement of pruning machines. She said after the procurement, the work for pruning and even cutting of trees would be started at the earliest.

Assistant Commissioner MC Sarabjit Singh, Harkesh Chand Sharma Machlikalan, Senior Deputy Mayor Rishav Jain, Councillor Kuljit Singh Bedi, Amrik Singh Somal, Raj Rani, Suman Garg, Taranjit Kaur Gill, BB Maini, Jasvir Singh Manku, Surinder Rajput were also present. — TNS