Balbir Sidhu trains guns on ex-Mayor Kulwant Singh

Tribune News Service

Mohali, December 11

Former Mayor Kulwant Singh signed an MoU with GMADA and took over its parks, but failed to bring even a single penny of the Rs50 crore annual maintenance charges the authority had agreed to pay.

Brought about Rs35 crore from GMADA: MLA

After the election of the new corporation, I took personal interest and brought about Rs35 crore from GMADA. Negotiations are on with the state minister of housing and the Punjab Government for more funds. Balbir Sidhu, former cabinet minister and mohali MLA

Former Health Minister and local MLA Balbir Singh Sidhu stated this on the sidelines of the launch of development works worth Rs8.5 crore in Sector 79-80. Mayor Amarjit Singh Jeeti Sidhu, Senior Deputy Mayor Amrik Singh Somal and Deputy Mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi were also present on the occasion.

Balbir Sidhu said, “After the election of the new corporation, I took personal interest and brought about Rs35 crore from GMADA. Negotiations are on with the state minister of housing and the Punjab Government for more funds.”

The MLA said similarly, the MC collected Rs10 crore from the PSPCL, which had been collecting excise duty on electricity bills. The previous mayor had not taken any action to recover this amount, he alleged.

He said GMADA had neglected development in Sectors 76 to 80 and people had to even pay water bills five and a half times more than what was paid by residents of the rest of the city. He said he first solved the problem of water bills following which the whole area was taken under the MC and development works were started here. He said development of roads and parks in Sectors 79 and 80 would change the face of the entire area.

Mayor Amarjit Singh said additional funds received by the MC had been a major contributor towards the development works being carried out in the city. He said it was the money of the people of Mohali and it was being spent on them, according to their needs.

He said under the leadership of MLA Sidhu, councillors were keeping a close watch in their respective wards so that there was no negligence in development works.

Former Mayor Kulwant Singh did not respond to calls made to him to seek his views over the issue.

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