Rs 70 lakh goes down the drain as 3rd ‘repaired’ Muktsar pond gives way

Tribune News Service

Archit Watts

Muktsar, June 30

The renovation of a village pond constructed under the Thapar model by spending nearly Rs 70 lakh at Harike Kalan village here has come under the scanner as its retaining wall collapsed just a few days after the completion of the work. Village residents have demanded a fair probe, raising questions over the quality of construction material used in the work.

Probe ordered, firm to repair it again

The issue has come to my notice and an inquiry has been marked. The construction company will repair it. Mahesh Garg, XEN

“When the village pond was being renovated, we had questioned the quality of construction material used for it. However, our voice was suppressed. Now, the authorities concerned should order a probe,” said a village resident.

Gurpreet Singh, son of village sarpanch Janak Rani, said, “The pond work was completed nearly a week ago at a cost of Rs 70 lakh, but the retaining wall has already collapsed. A probe must be ordered into it.”

Mahesh Garg, Executive Engineer, Department of Rural Development and Panchayats, Muktsar, said, “The issue has come to my notice and an inquiry has been marked. The construction company will repair it.” He said the pond was constructed with the state-of-the-art technology and the wastewater would be treated and used for irrigation.

Earlier, the renovation of village ponds at Bhallaiana and Chhateana villages had come under the scanner as bricks had started falling. An amount of nearly Rs 30 lakh was spent on the renovation of the pond at Bhallaiana village, while Rs 2.5 crore was spent on the beautification of the pond at Chhateana village. These three villages — Harike Kalan, Bhallaiana and Chhateana — fall in the Gidderbaha Assembly constituency.

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