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Tribune News Service
Bathinda, July 18
A day after Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Finance Minister crossed swords over the issue of waterlogging in Bathinda, it was the turn of their local leaders to indulge in a blame game even as the city residents continued to reel under the misery caused by heavy rain here on July 16.
Former Akali Dal MLA Sarup Chand Singla and District Congress Committee (Urban) president Arun Wadhawan held separate press conferences and resorted to political bickering over the matter.
Addressing mediapersons, Wadhawan said, “Harsimrat tried to shift the blame on Manpreet Badal despite the SAD-BJP alliance in power at the local level (MC). Mayor Balwant Rai Nath and former MLA Singla always claimed of not having funds, but MPLAD funds are still lying unused.”
He said last year, Manpreet released Rs 75 lakh for the cleaning of sewerage on July 7, Rs 50 lakh for installation of new motors on October 5 and a grant of Rs 56 lakh for beautification of Sanjay Nagar, DAV School, Sanguana Basti ponds on October 5.
He said the previous SAD-BJP government gave a contract of Rs 211 crore to Triveni Company for laying sewerage and water supply pipeline in the city, but the project was still not complete despite putting extra burden of Rs 30 crore on state exchequer.
Meanwhile, SAD leaders lashed out the Congress leaders for allegedly not ensuring proper drainage of rainwater in the city. Former SAD MLA Singla alleged that Manpreet failed to honour the poll promise of resolving the problem of sewerage and drainage. Singla said, “Till now no funds have been released for this purpose. The state government is deliberately not providing funds to the MCB.”
Earlier, Harsimrat had accused Manpreet of stopping sludge carrier line work aimed at doubling the capacity to drain out water from low-lying areas. She also charged him with diverting corporation funds to the Improvement Trust. On the other hand, Manpreet blamed the SAD-ruled MC for the situation.
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