Night shelter contractor gets MC notice over poor facilities

Tribune News Service

Patiala, January 12

The Municipal Corporation, Patiala, has slapped a notice to a contractor over lack of facilities and poor quality of material at the temporary night shelters constructed across the city. The Tribune had reported about the poor quality of material used at the shelters.

While the shelters, separate for men and women, have been functional near the Kali Mata temple, near Gurdwara Dukhniwaran Sahib and at the railway station, they lack basic facilities, including water cooler, heater and others. An official said with the notice, the contractor has been directed to provide the facilities at the earliest.

As per directions and conditions laid down in the contract, the night shelters were supposed to be waterproof and made up of inflammable material but the MC allowed the use of cloth material. The shelters can catch fire.

Residents said, “The MC has spent Rs 16 lakh on the shelters but failed to provide adequate facilities at the nigh shelters. Moreover, cheap material has been used in their construction.”

One of the night shelters recently started leaking during rainfall.

When contacted, Dalip Kumar, executive engineer, said, “We have sent a notice to the contractor over lack of facilities, including water-cooler and heater at the shelters. We also pointed this problem through the notice.”

He later said the contractor acted as per directions and provided the required facilities.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Poonamdeep Kaur said, “I was informed about the leakage at one of the shelters. Our inspectors, Joint Commissioner regularly visit the sites to ensure proper facilities are provided at the shelters.”