Machinery purchase scam: Jalandhar MC safai staff union seek probe - Hindustan Times
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Machinery purchase scam: Jalandhar MC safai staff union seek probe

Hindustan times, Jalandhar | ByHarvinder Kaur, Jalandhar
Feb 26, 2017 02:37 PM IST

The municipal corporation Jalandhar (MCJ) may have to face the wrath of sanitation workers, under the banner of Nigam Safai Mazdoor Union in the upcoming days, as the body is planning to approach the vigilance department against the civic authorities, alleging a scam in the purchase of machinery and works being carried under solid waste management programme in the city.

The municipal corporation Jalandhar (MCJ) may have to face the wrath of sanitation workers, under the banner of Nigam Safai Mazdoor Union in the upcoming days, as the body is planning to approach the vigilance department against the civic authorities, alleging a scam in the purchase of machinery and works being carried under solid waste management programme in the city.

Municipal corporation office in Jalandhar.(Pardeep Pandit/HT Photo)
Municipal corporation office in Jalandhar.(Pardeep Pandit/HT Photo)

In a press release issued on Saturday, the union blamed the municipal corporation authorities of purchasing old machinery at the cost of new ones. In October last year, the municipal corporation had purchased cleanliness machines at the cost of Rs 3.71 crore. This included three fire brigade vehicles, 14 tippers, four trolleys and ten rickshaws, along with dustbins.

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“Most of the machines that have been purchased by MCJ were claimed to be new, but needed to be dented and painted,” said Sanjay Sahota, a supervisor in Nigam Safai Mazdoor Union.

“After holding a union meeting on Tuesday, we will approach the vigilance department,” he added.

The union members said that recently, Sanjeev Kalia, in-charge of the MCJ workshop had sent two vehicles back to the company, complaining that two ‘new’ vehicles have already been used. Taking cognisance of the case, municipal commissioner GS Khehra formed a four-member committee on Friday. It includes superintendent engineer operation and maintenance (O&M) department Lakhwinder Singh, assistant medical officer (AMO) Dr Shri Kishan Sharma, in-charge of workshop Sanjeev Kalia, and workshop in-charge and private employee Sushil Rana, to inquire the matter.

The MCJ had also served a notice to Ashoka Leyland, from whom the purchase has been made. The union criticised the move, alleging that some members of the committee are themselves the participants of the scam.

They criticised authorities for hiring a private employee, Sushil Rana, as the in-charge of MC workshop situated near Lamba Pind Chowk. Notably, Sushil Rana was earlier the in-charge of city bus project that went off road in 2014. The federation is now demanding the MC to regularise 180 sewer men and to hire 535 new sanitation workers; the notification of which has already been issued by the government.

“We will not let the civic body to implement solid waste management rule of 2016 in the city, if our demands are not met on time,” threatened the federation members.

The MC has failed to get headway in solid waste management that was proposed to be set up in Jamsher; it made machinery purchases last year and outsourced a company to carry out sweeping machine work at Rs 30 crore, for a period of five years.

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