Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana high court has issued a notice to Punjab on a public interest litigation alleging irregularities in the transfer of road works involving 10 market committees from the public works department (PWD) to the Punjab Mandi Board. The next hearing is on November 17.The PIL has been filed by Ranjit Singh Bath, through advocate Himanshu Malik, seeking an independent, time-bound inquiry into the decision-making process, and tendering and execution of road works, alleging that the board initiated tendering and awarded contracts before the formal transfer of the works concerned.According to the petition, a committee, in its meeting on March 15, 2018, had recommended continuation of the existing allocation of works between the PWD and the board, subject to approval of the competent authority. However, an order was issued for transfer of 10 market committees, including Kalanaur and Kahnuwan, to the board, purportedly pursuant to directions issued by the chief minister.The petition has questioned whether the board had the requisite administrative and technical authority to initiate and sanction the works at the relevant time.The petition also refers to a communication dated Sept 30 from PWD executive engineer, Gurdaspur, raising concerns that works under Qadian market committee were already being undertaken by PWD while tenders for the same works had allegedly been issued by the mandi board.It flagged a work involving an alleged recording of 100% completion and preparation of a final payment voucher of approximately Rs 3. crore, seeking verification of the actual site position, measurement books, completion certificates and payment records.The petitioner has sought a physical and financial audit, preservation of records and appropriate recovery or departmental and criminal action if irregularities are established.
