Hoshiarpur:- In a press note issued today, former Cabinet Minister and senior BJP leader Tikshan Sood stated that there appears to be a strong apprehension of a massive scam within the development works being undertaken by the Municipal Corporation. While the local MLA is laying foundation stones for development projects funded by the Municipal Corporation at a rapid pace, there is absolutely no oversight or authority to monitor the quality of these works. In numerous projects, certain contractors are making exorbitant profits by utilizing substandard materials—an act that would be impossible without the active collusion of departmental officials.
In Mohalla Ramgarh, for instance, the bricks used for drainage systems—installed alongside the tiling of the streets—are of the poorest quality. This stands in stark contrast to the tender conditions, which, under CSR norms, mandate the exclusive use of top-grade bricks. Although this issue was previously raised in local newspapers, it appears that the officials remain completely indifferent and have turned a deaf ear to the matter. There is a significant price disparity—often a difference of 1.5 to 2 times—between the cost of the substandard materials actually used and the high-quality materials stipulated in the tender documents. Furthermore, the tiles being laid in the streets are also of inferior quality.
Consequently, these development projects will fail to achieve their intended lifespan, and the entire burden of the resulting damage will ultimately fall upon the public—the very citizens whose hard-earned money funds these initiatives. If a high-level inquiry is instituted to investigate those who are "skimming the cream"—namely, the contractors executing the shoddy work and the officials facilitating it—a massive financial scam is bound to be exposed.