Opp councillors tear into Mohali mayor for ‘opaque’ working of F&CC

On Friday, Mohali MLA Kulwant Singh — a former mayor himself — led the charge of the opposition councillors, which including some from the Congress, in demanding an inquiry in the working of the Finance and Contracts Committee. Incidentally, this was the first time Kulwant Singh had participated in the Moahli civic corporation House meeting ever since being elected as an MLA.

The councillors, on Friday, alleged that the F&CC works to benefit certain members of the house and that the committee had powers to award work of more than Rs 1 crore in value.

The working of the committee is cloaked in secrecy and it is sheer injustice for the councillors. The working of the committee must be brought under the scanner,” Opposition councillor, Sukhdev Patwari said.

Former deputy mayor Manjit Singh Sethi demanded an investigation into the working of the committee and said that genuine developmental works proposed by the councillors are being ignored.

Former senior deputy mayor, Rishab Jain, in turn, raised the issue of waterlogging in the city and said that he had approved work to the tune of Rs 1.39 crore in his area, but nothing was done on the ground.

Mohali mayor, Amarjit Singh Sidhu, however, refuted the allegations of favouritism and said that all the works being done and contracts beimg awarded were on merit. On the agenda against the working of F&CC, he said that 27 councillors are with him.

Amarjit, along with his brother Balwinder, had earlier ditched the Congress to join the Bharatiya Janata Party. The Congress, however, has so far not brought a no-confidence motion to oust Amarjit as the mayor.

Later, MLA Kulwant Singh said that soon there will be a change in the Mohali civic corporation. “The people will decide, we are working for their welfare,” he said.

Meanwhile, the civic body on Friday passed all 17 resolution without any opposition.