DSGMC dragging feet over Anandpur Sahib whitewash

Arun Sharma

Tribune News Service

Ropar, June 30

The work of painting Anandpur Sahib white, which is lying suspended since June 17, is likely to be delayed further.

The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) — which took the responsibility of painting the town white during the 350th foundation day ceremony of Anandpur Sahib — is finding it hard to meet the expenses estimated to be Rs 5.5 crore and is now seeking SGPC help.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), however, did not discuss the issue at its executive committee meeting at Fatehgarh Sahib today, making it difficult for the DSGMC to restart the work. The Delhi committee already owes about Rs 1 crore to the contractors.

Avtar Singh Makkar, SGPC president, said DSGMC members contacted him over the issue but he could not do anything till he got a formal letter in this regard.

More than 60 per cent work was completed by June 17 when the three-day celebrations started and then the work was suspended. Sources said the DSGMC started dragging its feet over resuming the work and requested Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal to intervene and ask the SGPC to foot the bill.

However, when contacted, DSGMC general secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa and another member Kulwant Singh Bath denied that the work had been suspended for want of funds.

The contractors did not submit the bills against the work already carried out and as soon as they submitted the bills, the work would be resumed, they claimed.