Kharar Municipal Council passes Rs 56-crore budget for development works

Sanjay Bumbroo

Mohali, June 24

High drama was witnessed during the General House meeting of the Kharar Municipal Council (MC) today in which budget for development works worth Rs 56 crore was passed.

The Opposition members levelled allegation against ruling councillors that the development works were approved in a wrong manner. They also claimed that none of the proposals was accepted in the House meeting.

Many proposals related to development of the area have been approved at the MC meeting. Some objection letters submitted by Opposition councillors will be sent to the Local Bodies Department along with approved proposals. Rajesh Kumar, Executive Officer, Kharar

Earlier, the MC witnessed an uproar on June 20 when the Opposition had written to president Jaspreet Kaur asking her to remove some works from the agenda prepared for the House meeting.

However, when the Opposition members came to know that their request for removing some works from the agenda had not been met, a ruckus followed at the House meeting.

The Opposition councillors claimed that these works had already been approved many times in the past. They said there was no need to carry out these works as this would save precious tax payers money.

An Opposition councillor Harinder Pal Singh Jolly said in the agenda No. 4 people from outside Kharar were being offered jobs here thereby snatching rights of the local youths.

Similarly, in proposal No. 13, payment was made to many contractors by misusing Section 35 of the Punjab Municipal Act, 1911, which could have been done only in case of emergency, Jolly added.

He alleged that there were many works in which the cost had been added several times. He further alleged that in the agenda No. 18 there was proposal for carrying out development works in colonies established by builders whereas according to the law, the MC could initiate works in colonies only under its jurisdiction.

Jolly said the master plan of the Punjab Government was also being tampered with by bringing a proposal to benefit some big persons. When all the Opposition members sought clarification from the MC president on these proposals, she left the meeting, said Jolly. Due to this, there was no discussion on proposals and the meeting should have been treated as cancelled, he added.

Meanwhile, the MC president, Jaspreet Kaur, said the agenda No. 1 to 18 and 20 had been passed by the House while the item No. 19 had been kept pending.

The MC Executive Officer, Rajesh Kumar, said the meeting of the civic body concluded on Friday in which many proposals related to the development of the area had been approved.

Some objection letters were submitted by the Opposition councillors, which would be sent to the Local Bodies Department along with approved proposals.