Punjab local Government Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu’s latest move to suspend four superintending engineers (SEs) allegedly for allotting tenders violating rules has invited criticism from the Shiromani Akali Dal on one hand, while on the other, ludhiana Municipal Corporation (lMC) engineers decided to go leave en masse in protest.
Welcoming action against four SEs for allotting civil works on single bids “if they had done wrong”, SAD asked Sidhu to demand and initiate action against Cong MlAs also on similar lines who have been allotted 18 mining sites through single bids.
“Why you have not raised any protest against the allotment of 18 sand mines to Congress legislators and their kin through single bids,” asked SAD MPs Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Balwinder Singh Bhunder adding that Sidhu should explain why he was not demanding and initiating action against these Congress legislators.
“Isn’t the law same for everyoneIJ The law states that there should be a minimum of three bids for auction of sand mines to take place…How come this issue has escaped your attention despite appearing prominently in the mediaIJ Have you deliberately chosen to ignore this blatant violation in auction of sand mines or are you shielding the culpritsIJ Please tell Punjabis so that they may come to know about your real nature,” said the Akali MPs.
They asked Sidhu to explain whether his “theatrics” were limited to his political opponents and underlings only.
“Sidhu should immediately demand action against all Congress legislators who had ganged up to bid for 18 sand mines collectively as well as the officers responsible for this criminal lapse. This is also your duty as a self proclaimed public spirited person as the single bids have created a monopoly and resulted in a sharp increase in sand prices across the State,” they said.
Akali leader asked Sidhu to earnestly examine and recommend action against those behind 18 single mining bids. “If you failed to do so, you would expose yourself as a braggart who indulged in cheap and vulgar publicity only…This is your moment of truth. Either rise to the occasion and help Punjabis by forcing action against Congress MlAs or admit you are a wilful failure and cannot clean up the system as you are sharing the spoils of power,” they added.
lUDHIANA ENGINEERS ON MASS lEAVE IN PROTEST
ludhiana Municipal Corporation (lMC) engineers on Friday went on casual leave en masse to protest the suspension of four superintending engineers (SEs) over alleged irregularities in work allotment.
The SEs, posted at different corporations in Punjab, were suspended on the orders of state local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Thursday for allegedly allotting civil works on a single bid.
“Engineers have gone on a mass casual leave. In a meeting held here it was decided that they would not work today and tomorrow,” said the Punjab Municipal Engineers’ Association’s general secretary Sunil Sharma.
After the meeting, representatives of other municipal corporation (MC) employees associations also assured their full support and termed the Minister's action as “unwanted”, he claimed.
Sharma said that an “inexperienced” Sidhu was just playing to the gallery and claimed that all the four SEs were innocent and had done nothing illegal. “They have acted on the orders of a committee which was formed by the state government under the leadership of respective deputy commissioners,” he said.
All the employees of the lMC, including Class IV and safai mazdoors, will hold a joint protest rally here on Monday, Sharma announced.
He claimed that employees in Jalandhar, Amritsar, Bathinda and Mohali also protested on Friday against the orders by Sidhu, demanding immediate withdrawal of these orders.
Sidhu had said that out of work orders of Rs 800 crore, Rs 500 crore were allotted on a single bid.