Local Government Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Friday set a deadline of June 30 to make the city pothole and manhole-free. He directed all municipal corporation (MC) officials to report to the field from 7 am to 8 am daily as part of “Mission Clean Punjab”.
During an early-morning surprise inspection, Bains took a serious note of stagnant rainwater and garbage along National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) roads passing through the city.
“If the NHAI does not clean the road, the municipal corporation will do it and bill them. In case of non-performance, a fine will be imposed,” Bains said after a three-hour ground visit.
Reviewing monsoon preparedness, Bains directed MC officials to ensure all sewer lines were cleared by month-end. MC officials informed the minister that 49 km of the 220 km sewer lines targeted for cleaning had been prioritised. Of this, 47 per cent have already been desilted and the remaining work will be completed by June 30, they told the minister, adding road projects worth Rs 172 crore are currently underway within MC limits to improve civic infrastructure. The minister directed the officials to ensure that all missing and damaged manhole covers within MC limits are replaced and road repair works within the stipulated deadline.
To strengthen civic response during the monsoon, he ordered the MC to set up a 24×7 “war room” to monitor waterlogging, sewer blockages and rain-related complaints in real time.
Police stop BJP leader chasing minister’s car
A BJP leader ran after Minister Harjot Singh Bains’ car while the latter was out to inspect field works under “Mission Clean Punjab”.
As the minister came out of the municipal corporation’s (MC) Zone A office after a meeting, BJP leader Vicky Sahota broke through the police cordon and ran after him, shouting slogans.
He was accompanied by a member of Sangharsh Committee Nagar Nigam Ludhiana. However, the police apprehended both of them before they could reach the minister. Sahota continued to try to meet the minister, but the police prevented him from proceeding further.
Sahota, along with some members of the sangharsh committee, had come to meet the minister and put forth employees’ demands. The police had already cordoned off the area to prevent them from reaching the minister
As Bains left without meeting them, Sahota and his associates surrounded Mayor Inderjit Kaur, claiming they had come to meet the minister peacefully to discuss employees’ demands.
‘Bring tea, let’s talk’
The minister walked up to a group of safai sewaks cleaning a road near Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, pulled a small stool and told them, “Bring tea, let’s talk”. He spent around 20 minutes taking feedback on sanitation, waterlogging and safety gear from the safai sewaks. “The people who keep this city clean every single day are the best experts on how to make it better. You don’t learn this sitting in a closed room. You learn it on a stool, with tea and beside the person holding the broom,” Bains said.
