Ruckus in civic body House over ‘scam’ in free booking of community centres
The MC General House meeting today witnessed uproar during a discussion on the agenda of the proposed hike in booking rates of community centres. AAP councillor Yogesh Dhingra made a personal comment on Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla which ruffled BJP councillors who sought an apology from him.
During the meeting, Dhingra alleged that no action was taken in the alleged scam of free booking of community centres except for the transfer of some employees. However, MC Commissioner Amit Kumar refuted the allegation and stated that the local government has already sent a letter to the Vigilance Department for an inquiry into it. As Dhingra demanded an inquiry by the CBI or any other agency, Kumar said no parallel inquiry into the allegation could be conducted. Dhingra also demanded that the transferred employees should be suspended.
As per rules, councillors can recommend booking of the community centres free of cost for wedding of girls belonging to BPL families. AAP councillors had alleged a scam of over Rs 100 crores in the name of free bookings and demanded an inquiry into it. They alleged the free bookings were done by MC employees, who conspired with middlemen for those who were not eligible for such benefit. The MC today brought the agenda for an increase in the booking charges of community centres. However, all councillors opposed it following which the agenda was deferred.
The meeting also saw another controversy when the agenda for establishment and operation of horticulture waste plant came up for discussion. Senior Deputy Mayor Jasbir Singh Bunty, Deputy Mayor Taruna Mehta and councillor Premlata alleged that an agenda unanimously passed by the MC House had been ‘unconstitutionally’ cancelled. They said during the meeting held in April, the MC House had unanimously passed the agenda to allot the work of the plant to a public sector undertaking. However, some BJP councillors did not recognise the approved agenda in the next meeting and decided to allot the work to a private company.
The MC today brought the agenda to allot the work to a private firm. However, the three councillors said the passed agenda could not be cancelled during a discussion on the minutes of a meeting. Only corrections or additional information could be made to the minutes.
Following this, the MC Commissioner declared the agenda for the horticulture waste plant brought today as invalid.
Some councillors also alleged that the minutes of the April meeting were tampered with, following which Kumar ordered verification of the minutes after comparing them with the audio-video recording of the House proceedings.
Sanitation of southern sectors
The House deferred the agenda for issuing a fresh tender for the allotment of sanitation work in southern sectors (31 to 63) after councillors raised objections over the terms and conditions of the tender.
At present, Lions Services Limited looks after sanitation in the southern sectors. The company was awarded the contract in 2017 and the MC pays it nearly Rs 5 crore every month for the work.
As councillors opposed the agenda, the Mayor announced that a committee will be formed to review the terms and conditions of the tender.
Councillors Neha,
Kuldeep recommended
most free bookings
Former Mayor and AAP councillor Kuldeep Kumar recommended 46 free bookings of community centres from January 1, 2024, to May 31 this year. Kuldeep Kumar claimed that the number of BPL families was more in the area he represented. He added that he never recommended free booking at community centre in any other area. As per the internal report of the MC, 518 free bookings were made during the period. Another councillor Neha recommended 47 free bookings. Besides, Suman Devi recommended 38 free bookings, Ram Chander Yadav 35, Rajinder Kumar 25, Kanwarjeet Singh 24, Manuar 22, Poonam and Manoj Kumar 20 each, Bimla Dubey 19, Yogesh Dhingra 18, Nirmla Devi 16, Kuljeet Singh Sandhu 15, Jasbir Singh and Lakhbir Singh 14 each, and Sachin Galav and Jaswinder Kaur one each.
Chandigarh