29042023-CT-01.qxd 4/29/2023 12:45 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune SPENT ~85 CR IN WARDS OF CONG COUNCILLORS: MAYOR MOHALI REGISTERS 1,323 PROPERTIES IN A DAY LSG FIREWORKS DISAPPOINT PUNJAB KINGS’ HOME CROWD P’kula Mayor Kulbhushan Goyal terms Congress councillors’ allegation of ignoring their wards baseless. P4 Applicants throng revenue offices in Mohali, Kharar, Zirakpur to claim 2.25% rebate in stamp duty. P4 Punjab Kings find no dearth of support from the spectators’ stands as they face challengers LSG. P5 » » CHANDIGARH 135 PANCHKULA 154 MOHALI 96 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD INBRIEF FOUR BOOKED FOR CHEATING Chandigarh: Four persons have been booked for cheating. Complainant Prem Chand Kataria, accounts manager of Universal Corporation Ltd, Industrial Area-I, claimed Suraj Kumar of Mauli Jagran, Surya Parkash Shukla of Ram Darbar, Manohar Lal of Air Force Colony, Sector 31, and Sumit of Phase-II, Ram Darbar, misappropriated ~1.01 crore from the firm. A case has been registered at the Industrial Area police station. TNS PO LANDS IN POLICE NET Chandigarh: A proclaimed offender has been arrested by the UT police. Accused Sunil Kumar, alias Golu (23), a resident of Phase I, Mohali, was booked for snatching at the Sector 39 police station in August 2020. TNS Now, door-to-door garbage collectioninentirePanchkula Incomplete work, scope of embezzlement during 2021-22: Report Sanjay Bumbroo Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 28 The draft report of the Director General of Audit (Central), which comes under the Indian Audit and Accounts Department, Government of India, has found several discrepancies in the functioning of the Forest Department, Chandigarh. Obtained under the RTI Act, the draft report revealed the department allotted various works, with a deadline of March 2022, to different contractors in 2021, but less than half of these were finished within the stipulated period. During the checking of records maintained by the department for 2021-22, it was noticed physical progress of work ranging between 1% and 45% had been achieved by the contractual agencies with an expenditure of Rs 5,57,065, against the total contract amount of Rs 23,31,215, which had resulted in slow achievement of target. A reply has been sought for reasons for non-completion of works in time, and departmental action taken against Gaurav Kanthwal Tribune News Service ENTRY FEE KEPT OUT OF CONSOLIDATED FUND Report says dept created a bird park and opened it for public in 2022. With UT Administrator’s consent, it created Forest Society for Conservation and deposited in it ~85.95 lakh collected as entry fee from public during 2021-22 in contravention of provisions of Article 267. Norms stipulate deposit of public money in consolidated fund of state. LESS THAN HALF OF WORK COMPLETED NON-RECONCILIATION OF RECEIPTS Less than half of the work given to contractors in 2021 was completed; physical progress of only 1% to 45% was achieved till March 2022 deadline. Against contract amount of ~23.31 lakh, only ~5.57 lakh was spent. Dept has been asked to explain reasons for non-completion of works in time and action taken against contractors. Dept carried out reconciliation of remittances made into treasury and payments made through treasury up to June 2018. But reconciliation from Sept 2020 to March 2022 was pending. Leak of revenue/misappropriation, embezzlement cannot be ruled out, the report observed. It has been asked to explain reasons for not adhering to financial rules. the contractor. Further, the report noticed the department carried out reconciliation of remittances made into the treasury as well as payments made through treasury up to June FATHER-SON DUO FROM KERALA ■ Firm GM PM Hameed and his son Shahid Hameed (director) belong to Alappuzha, Kerala, and stay at an upscale housing colony in Dera Bassi ■ Bail plea says they are directors/ promoters of Federal Agro Industry Private Ltd, a subsidiary of Agrabased HMA Agro Industries, a buffalo meat exporter under Sections 304 and 34 of the IPC. None of the three has been arrested so far. According to the documents submitted in the court, firm director Shahid Hameed, and general manager PM Hameed hail from Alappuzha in Kerala and stay at an upscale housing colony in Dera Bassi. In their bail application, the two claimed regular cleaning of tank was carried out by a specialised agency. The victims were employees of the agency and were trained in carrying out the job. Further, eight types of protective equipment, including respiratory protection, were provided to workers, they claimed. They stated they were the directors/promoters of Federal Agro Industry Private Limited, a subsidiary of Agra-based HMA Agro Industries, an exporter of fresh-frozen boneless halal Indian buffalo meat. “The director has to promote and oversee the management of the company, which has many departments being managed by the Continued on page 2 2018 as per verification made by the Treasury Officer, UT. “The reconciliation with treasury from September 2020 to March 2022 was pending during the course of audit (November 2022),” pointed out Case registered over PU girl’s hostel trespass Chandigarh, April 28 A day after an unidentified man entered the girl’s hostel (GH) No. 4 on the Panjab University campus, a case was registered at the Sector 11 police station today. A case under Sections 448 (house trespass) and 452 (trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint) of the IPC was registered on the complaint of hostel warden Dr Tammanna R Sahrawat. The suspect had managed to reach the third floor of the hostel and enter a room. The girl raised the alarm, following which the suspect fled, leaving behind his black scarf. The CCTV footage revealed the suspect had entered from the common gate of GH Nos. 3, 4 and 6, and then from the main gate of GH No. 4. The suspect was seen roaming around in the cycle parking, before entering the hostel through the reception area. The suspect stayed in the hostel for nearly 20 minutes. Continued on page 2 MC levies 30% sewerage cess despite cut Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 28 Nearly two months after the city Municipal Corporation House decided to reduce the sewerage cess from the existing 30% of the total water bill to 10%, residents continue to pay bills based on higher levy. Officials said the UT Administration’s final decision in this regard was awaited. The decision to reduce the sewerage cess was taken after councillors had rocked the House meeting in March over 5% hike in annual water tariff. Not only the Opposition — AAP and Congress — councillors, even the ruling BJP FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE Audit flags discrepancies in functioning of Forest Dept DERA BASSI TRAGEDY Police reply sought; hearing today Sandeep Rana SUNRISE SUNDAY 5:41 AM TWITTER/THETRIBUNECHD Charges in FIR ‘concocted’ , claim suspects in bail plea Mohali, April 28 Father-son duo Puthampurackal Mohammed Hameed, 66, and Mohammed Shahid Hameed, 36, two of the three persons booked in connection with the death of workers at Federal Agro Industries Private Limited, Behera, Dera Bassi, due to asphyxiation, have claimed in their bail application the brother of one of the victims has “concocted” a story in the FIR and that they have no role in the April 21 accident. A Mohali court has asked the police to file its response in the matter and scheduled hearing of their bail application for tomorrow. Four persons had died in a septic tank one by one while cleaning it. The police had booked owner Qamil Kureshi, alias Bunty; GM PM Hameed and director Mohammed Shahid Hameed MAX 35°C | MIN 21°C YESTERDAY MAX 35.9°C | MIN 20°C ADMINISTRATION’S NOD AWAITED ■ In March, MC House reduced sewerage cess from 30% of total water bill to 10% to offset a 5% hike in annual water tariff, following protest by councillors ■ Minutes were approved in next House meet and matter was sent to Home Secretary for approval; the UT Admn’s nod is awaited, say officials ■ “I am following up matter with administration and pushing to get it through so that relief could be provided to residents,” says Mayor Anup Gupta members had voiced their concern over increasing water rates in the city. Even during the previous five-year term of the ruling BJP which at the time enjoyed , an absolute majority in the House, the matter of lowering the sewerage cess was taken up, but the administration had not budged, citing a big gap between spending and earning from water supply. The BJP had taken credit for getting the water rate slab down, which was raised by the party itself during its tenure. Congress councillor Gurpreet Gabi said: “I request all councillors cutting across par- ty lines to jointly meet the UT Administrator over this issue. Water rates have become too high, burning a hole in the pocket of common people.” RK Garg, president, Second Innings Association, a senior citizens’ body, said: “This month too we got bills based on 30% sewerage cess of the total water bill. What is the point in the MC House approving a reduction in cess when the decision is not being implemented? The corporation should have followed it up with the administration to get it immediately approved. Water bills are a big burden on city residents.” Continued on page 2 c m y b the report. Due to non-reconciliation with the treasury, leak of revenue/misappropriation, embezzlement and discrepancy, if any, cannot be ruled out,” observed the audit report. Continued on page 2 Agency allotted tender |To cover MDC, trans-Ghaggar sectors Tribune News Service Panchkula, April 28 The Panchkula Municipal Corporation has issued work order to an agency for door-to-door collection of garbage across the city. Earlier, the Mansa Devi Complex (MDC) and sectors across the Ghaggar were not being covered by it. The agency selected for the job, Pooja Consolation Company, will now go door to door to collect garbage in these areas as per the tender. The agency will also be responsible for disposal of garbage collected in the city. It will collect wet and dry waste separately from houses and send to the material recovery facility in vehicles. The door-to-door collection and its processing in all sectors will begin from the first week of May. Mayor Kulbhushan Goyal said the tender for the job had been allotted to the private agency. He said the commencement of door-to-door collection in entire MC area would help improve the Swachh ranking of Panchkula. Goyal said to keep track of garbage collectors, the MC would install radio frequency identification (RFID) tags TRIBUNE PHOTO: RAVI KUMAR AIR QUALITY INDEX GENERALLY CLOUDY SUNSET SATURDAY 6:58 PM » SATURDAY | 29 APRIL 2023 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST Garbage collection in remaining sectors to start from first week of May. MONITORING THROUGH RADIO TAGS ■ To keep track of garbage collectors, the civic body will install radio frequency identification tags outside each household ■ Agency hired for the job has been directed to share information of waste collection from each household via radio tag on a daily basis with the civic body ■ MC’s sanitation wing will keep track of daily collection; will withhold payment if collection is below 90% of total households on a given day outside each household. Instructions had been issued to the agency to share information on waste collection from every household through the RFID. It will help the civic body keep track of garbage collection from each household in the street. Goyal said the sanitation wing of the MC would closely monitor the functioning of the company through the RFID and if the garbage collection was less than 90 per cent of the total households in the city, the MC would not release payment for the given day. While allotting the tender, the MC had set the condition that daily reporting would have to be done under the RFID. In case a report is not received through the RFID, it would be sought from the agency, which would then be uploaded by the MC on its portal.