OPINION: LMC authorities go to any extent to save the field officials of B&R branch

Whenever the quality of roads is questioned, all the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation (LMC) authorities assures before the media to take action on the complaint made from the public. But when the genuine complaint is made, higher authorities can go to any extent to save the skin of B&R branch field officials.

On one hand, Additional Commissioner (Tech.) of LMC gives the clean chit to the officials of B&R branch in the complaint (regarding damage of Ishar Nagar main road within three months of construction due to breakage of water supply pipes) on the pretext that the area had already been handed over to the LMC by PWSSB, on the other hand O&M Branch shirk to repair the water supply pipes on the pretext that PWSSB still has not handed over the area to LMC authorities and asks the residents to go to PWSSB for redressal of their complaints regarding breakage of water supply pipes. 

Ishar Nagar main road which had been constructed in last week of December, 2011 without checking the breakage of water supply pipes and without intimation to BSNL about the construction of the road, as all the telephone cables had been broken down at many sites during the laying of sewerage pipes despite representation given to the authorities for the same.

The Commissioner, LMC asked the Additional Commissioner (Tech.) to report on the matter within 15 days but the officer did not bother to do the same. It was only after the undersigned filed the RTI application followed by first appeal and then the second appeal the Inquiry officer neither completed the inquiry nor reported to the Commissioner. It was only after the instruction of the State Information Commission when the Inquiry officer filed the statement that no LMC official has been found guilty as the PWSSB officials vide their letter dated December 12, 2011 had intimated to the LMC that the project of water supply lines in the area has been completed and there is no leakage in the lines of water supply lines.

Background of the issue:Within three months of construction, the Road in question was started to damage due to leakage of water supply pipes and whenever the water supply is switched on, the water accumulates on the road at many points. To repair water supply pipes, road has been dug-up by the workers of contractor, who had carried out the Water-Supply project. The issue was raised before the Commissioner, LMC vide complaint dated March 26, 2012 alongwith a Compact Disk containing some snaps telling the whole story.

Earlier, I had brought the facts in the knowledge of Xen (B&R)(C) vide his representation dated August 16, 2011 which was duly received against dairy (No. 560/EEC) but the authorities kept on sleeping over the issue and laid the stone matel on the main road. As a result, the main road of Ishar Nagar caved in on October 2, 2011 due to leakage of water supply pipes and LMC put the responsibility on PWSSB for that.

(The author is a Ludhiana resident. He is associated to Vigilant Citizens’ Forum- an NGO.)

(Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author in this article are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of City Air News.)