MC chief seeks report on Rs 1.7 crore plantation drive

The municipal corporation had outsourced the plantation drive, which included maintenance of plants for two years, installation of tree guards as well and the total cost was whopping Rs 1.7 crore for 10,000 plants. The contractor, however, never planted even a single sapling despite two notices. Horticulture wing of the MC claimed that since the contractor did not work, they planted 26,462 saplings along with tree guards in various parts of the city.

BJP councillor Sakshi Julka of ward number 10 said not a single sapling was planted in the monsoon in her ward. Soon councillors from ward number 10, 5, 6,7, 8 and 9 also complained that the drive was only on papers. No tree guard was given to them. Newsline had raised the issue in the past and highlighted that on the main roads like Ferozepur road, MC authorities had planted small saplings that did not cost more than Rs 10 along with tree guards of Rs 1000. The plants have already dried up due to heavy vehicular pollution. The general house has also decided to redevelop major gardens like Rakh Bagh, Rose Garden and Leisure Valley. Commissioner A K Sinha suggested that tenders will be called and after making the changes, they will be held responsible for maintenance as well. The proposed changes in the Rose Garden were play stations on the lines of Hardy’s World, rain shelters, food plaza in place of milk plant. (The milk plant authorities pay Rs 80 per month as rentals.) Already contracts of Leisure Valley and Rakh Bagh have been cancelled, they were being maintained by private contractors for the last five years. “We will call for technical bids within this month,” said Sinha. 

Matters like irregular fogging was also discussed in the meeting and councillor Hemraj Aggarwal pointed out that Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla has blamed the corporation for the spread of disease. Every year crores are spent on fogging and still the mosquito is active enough. Sinha said, “We are spending a lot on fogging operation with the help of 16 old machines which are not yielding much results. Hence we have decided to purchase small fogging machines ranging between Rs 45,000 to Rs 50,000, one for each ward. Each machine will be given to the area councillor who can get the fogging done with the help of temporary workers during malaria and dengue season. Medicines will be provided to the councillors by the corporation.”

According to sources, more than a crore has been spent in the last one year in the purchase of melathine (medicine that kills aedes mosquito) while expenses of diesel, petrol etc are separate.

Chief Parliamentary secretary Harish Rai Dhanda also sought complete record of expenditure involved in fogging operations because it is becoming a white elephant rather than of some help.

Congress councillors have also asked for registration of FIR against the erring contractors in the fake bill scam case and councillors asked the Mayor to start development works in undeclared colonies as per the announcements done by state government.

Other topics on the agenda

*The issue of advertisement scam rocked the general house when BJP councillor Gurdeep Singh Neetu said a mafia is operating behind the episode. Congress councillor Parminder Mehta and Neetu had heated argument and the House was in a chaos for about 15 minutes. Superintendent Hartej Singh’s name was mentioned in the scam. Later a special meeting was fixed by commissioner to solve these issues.

*Councillors demanded 10 sodium lights for each ward before Diwali and also demanded notification of hike in salaries of councillors before Diwali.

*Issue of indoor stadium was discussed at length in the meeting. The new proposal pegs the cost at Rs 55 crore along with air conditioning, lifts, interior etc provision. The commissioner said shops in the stadium will not be auctioned till it is not complete.

*Councillor Mandeep Kaur Sandhu suggested that water dissolving plastics should be used so that chocking of sewer can be avoided.