NAKODAR
The Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB) has failed to complete the first phase of laying sewerage lines in Nakodar town by 31 December 2019 as was submitted to the Punjab and Haryana high court by the state government.
PWSSB engineer-in-chief appearing for the state of Punjab had submitted an affidavit before the Punjab and Haryana High Court bench comprising Chief Justice Krishna Murari and Justice Arun Palli stating that the detailed project report (DPR) of the first phase sewer was approved and vetted by the Punjab Municipal Infrastructure Development Company (PMIDC) on 6th May 2016 carrying scope of the lateral sewer of length30.67 km and intercepting sewer of the length of 6.96 km. He said that work is in progress and is likely to be completed by 31 December 2019.
PWSSB Nakodar Depak Kumar sub-divisional engineer Deepak Kumar said that 93 percent of work has been completed till today. But Jalandhar executive engineer Jatin had told last month 95 percent of the work had been completed.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court bench comprising Chief Justice Krishna Murari and Justice Arun Palli disposing of a civil writ petition filed by Aditya Bhatara on 16 January 2019 has ordered that to monitor further progress let the status report be filed after six months.
Petitioner Aditya Bhatara in a representation to the Punjab chief secretary and principal secretary of local government had said that the state has filed no status report in the high court as he has not received a copy of it being a petitioner.
He said that he sought a copy of the status report through the RTI Act from the executive engineer of the PWSSB Jalandhar division who said that the status report has been filed by the principal secretary of local bodies.
Bhatara said that when he sought a copy of the status report from the principal secretary’s local body his RTI application in this regard was forwarded to the executive officer of the Nakodar Nagar council.
He said in his representation that this proves that no status report has been filed in the Punjab and Haryana high court which amounts to contempt of court.
PSWSSB has posted on its website details of the fund and expenditure of Urban Mission in Nakodar amounting to Rs 1565.54 Lakhs in the year 2018 -2019.