Mission cover-up: Sewerage board to work on details

LUDHIANA: Crores of rupees have failed to cover the nullah that is situated behind Gurdwara Dukh Niwaran Sahib. With money not solving the problem, the municipal corporation is once again mulling over the idea of covering it by asking Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB) to prepare a detailed project report in the matter.
Deputy speaker of Punjab Assembly Satpal Gosain reportedly raised the issue with officers of the civic body during a meeting last week.The MC team reportedly proposed to cover the waterbody with cement slabs to prevent it from getting choked by garbage disposed by callous residents and traders.
It was decided that in order to check the project feasibility, the board be asked to conduct a test and prepare a detailed report regarding it. Likewise, MC officers asked their PWSSB counterparts to prepare the document and submit it by March 15 so that adequate action could be taken.
Being a health hazard to the residents of adjoining areas, the nullah has been in news since the project for covering it was initiated in 2005. However, work on the Rs 13-crore venture was stalled after Rs 2 crore had allegedly already been spent on it, thus virtually wasting taxpayers' money. It was claimed at that time that the project was not feasible and had to be stopped.
However, in a report submitted by former joint commissioner Ashok Bajaj on July 4, 2007, it was claimed that rules were ignored and the project was started without bringing on record complete design, drawing, feasibility and economic viability of the project. He added that the venture was cleared in a few lines during a meeting.
The report highlighted MC's alleged partisan attitude towards blue-eyed contractors. It also brought to fore the fact that the civic body approved the execution of project without following statutory rules laid down under Punjab Municipal Works Rules and Punjab Municipal Account Code.