Councillor demands action over pending tubewell staff hiring

Ludhiana: Ward 26 councillor Gaurav Bhatti has demanded strict action against municipal corporation officials for failing to appoint tubewell operators for the past 17 months. This administrative deadlock has pushed local residents into a second consecutive summer of severe drinking water shortages, as there are no operators to manage the water supply infrastructure.

Bhatti said that the appointment files were initially cleared by the Finance and Contracts Committee, yet work orders were never issued. A subsequent special committee formed to resolve the deadlock has also failed to provide a solution or hold necessary meetings, prompting the councillor to demand that responsibility be stripped from these negligent senior officials.

Bhatti questioned whether citizens must now visit MLA offices just to get water flowing, emphasising that smooth water management falls strictly under the civic body and the area councillor’s jurisdiction. He insisted that operators must be hired immediately with the consent of area councillors.

In response to the allegations, Ludhiana municipal corporation officials maintained that a committee formed at the mayor’s level is currently reviewing the matter and will soon recommend the final appointments for the tubewell operators.