VOICE OF EX-SERVICEMEN PUNJAB

SAD in no mood to placate its sulking Doaba leaders

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, June 9

The senior leadership of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) does not seem to be in a mood to pacify its disgruntled leaders from the Doaba region even as the countdown to the Assembly elections has already begun.

There has been no tangible move by CM Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal to address the grievances of these Akali leaders who hold high stature in Doaba.

A section of the party leadership feels that infighting and the non-redress of the concerns of the SAD MLAs may cost the party dear in the Assembly elections.

Even two months after Jalandhar Cantonment MLA Pargat Singh refused the CPS post in protest against the setting up of a solid waste management plant, both senior and junior Badal have not bothered to contact him.

Pargat Singh said he had made his stand clear and it was for the government to decide on the matter.

He gave clear indications that he was not interested in discussing the issue anymore on account of the “arrogant” attitude shown by the party top leadership.

Former minister and Kartarpur MLA Sarwan Singh Phillaur and his son Damanvir Phillaur have openly launched a front against Transport Minister and SAD Jalandhar (Rural) president Ajit Singh Kohar over Kohar’s move to make appointments in their constituency without consulting them.

“So far, the CM and Sukhbir have not felt any need to have a word with the father-son duo,” said a confidant of the six-time MLA.

Phillaur too said, “There is no word from the Badals on the issue. I came to know through media reports that the CM had said in Begowal that Sukhbir would handle the issue. At present, Sukhbir is abroad. So, we and our supporters are waiting for him to return on June 13 so that our grievances could be addressed.”

Likewise, the SAD high command has remained silent on the dissent shown by Satinder Kaur Kariha, wife of deceased MLA from Nawanshahr Jatinder Singh Kariha. She had held a press conference last month claiming party ticket from Nawanshahr and had openly countered the nomination of constituency incharge Jarnail Singh Wahid.

Scam’ in tender allocation for civic works unearthed

Kulwinder Sandhu

Tribune News Service

Moga, June 9

A major ‘scam’ has been detected in the allocation of various construction works worth crores of rupees under the state urban development mission and locally available funds in Moga city.

As per the details available with The Tribune, the municipal corporation (MC) invited tenders for 128 developmental/construction works on April 26, 2015 and May 4, 2015, respectively, through the e-tendering system.

For these, the MC authorities received single bids from only a few contractors and a couple of cooperative societies on a vast majority of tenders. Besides, the Overall Average Savings for the civic body in most of these tenders are miniscule.

These not only indicate the formation of a ‘syndicate’ of contractors, but also widespread corruption in the local body.

Under the state urban development mission, 100 tenders were called by the municipal corporation for which the single bids were opened for a total of Rs 6,86,54,000 while under the local development funds, single bids for 28 tenders were opened for Rs 3,62,03,000, at very little savings.

Under the urban development mission, the Overall Average Savings (OAS) in the fresh tenders of construction works ranges between 1.05 per cent and 2.49 per cent, interlocking tiles from 1.25 per cent to 4.13 per cent and CC/RMC redimix works from 1.71 per cent to 2.43 per cent. These are very less compared to the already going-on works.

Earlier, the MC allotted tenders of Rs 4 crore for various development works under this project at an OAS ranging from 5.5 per cent to 16.36 per cent. A similar position was witnessed in the fresh tenders floated under the locally available funds.

On May 10 and May 20, many other tenders of various construction works worth Rs 7,07,27,000 were opened by the municipal corporation. These also received single bids at savings less than 4 per cent below the reserve price.

Another set of 12 works also received single bids at an OAS of less than 2 per cent this week.

In the tenders of some electrical works, the MC received multiple bids from various firms, but the overall savings was just 4 per cent below the reserve price compared to the previous bids with overall savings of 25 per cent to 48.9 per cent.

“We have not yet allotted the works and will definitely look into the huge difference of rates in our meeting,” said councillor Gurminder Singh Bablu who is a member of the finance and contract committee.

“The miniscule savings of public funds in the fresh tenders undoubtedly raises doubts of corruption in the local body. This needs to be probed by an independent agency of the state government,” said Dr Jarnail Singh Duneke, Deputy Mayor of the city.

Mayor Akshit Jain admitted to the very less savings in the bids for hundreds of development works worth crores of rupees.

“We will have a relook into all the bids in the finance and contract committee meeting and go for negotiations with the contractors to increase the savings,” he said.

Meanwhile, the District Magistrate-cum-Commissioner of the local body Kuldip Singh Vaid has summoned a meeting of the six-member finance and contract committee. It will discuss this issue on Friday and will be chaired by Mayor Akshit Jain.