Baijnath civic body faces vigilance probe over ‘multi-crore irregularities’

The functioning of the Baijnath Municipal Council (MC) has come under serious scrutiny after the Himachal Pradesh Government ordered a vigilance probe into alleged large-scale financial irregularities. The decision follows a meeting between local MLA Kishori Lal and Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu last month, during which the MLA sought an official investigation.

According to Kishori Lal, the MC made substantial purchases in gross violation of state finance department guidelines, causing a heavy loss to the state exchequer. He claimed that many of these purchases were made without consulting the MC itself.

Documents accessed by The Tribune reveal that the Baijnath MC purchased 220 Imperial MS Casting Benches at Rs 17,000 each without following due procedure. For such large procurements, the rules require inviting global bids, a step that was bypassed.

Similarly, the MC bought an organic waste non-heating compositing machine, with a two-ton capacity, for Rs 60 lakh from the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal. The equipment developed faults shortly after installation. As per Finance Department norms, purchases of this magnitude must also go through a global bidding process. In this case, the Director of the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department was not even informed.

Adding to the concerns, the MC purchased non-branded High Mast lights from private vendors at Rs 6 lakh each. Branded versions of similar lights were available at significantly lower prices on online platforms such as Amazon.

The alleged irregularities extend beyond purchases. According to the complaint, several civil contracts, some exceeding Rs 1 lakh, were awarded offline to associates of municipal councillors, bypassing the mandatory online tendering system.

Kishori Lal also pointed out that six municipal councillors had earlier submitted a joint complaint to the Kangra DC, demanding a probe into the MC’s functioning. However, no action was taken until now.

Chaman Lal, Executive Officer of Baijnath MC, confirmed that the government had ordered a vigilance inquiry. He assured that the MC would fully cooperate with the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau. The team, however, has yet to arrive in Baijnath to begin its investigation.

With allegations involving faulty purchases, inflated costs, and procedural violations, the probe’s findings could have significant implications for Baijnath’s civic administration in the months ahead.