‘Bathinda admn not clearing ₹24 lakh bill for govt events’
BATHINDA:T he owner of a private taxi firm, ‘Bathinda Tours and Travels’, has claimed that the local administration is not clearing dues of Rs 24 lakh for using SUVs he provided during state government events, mainly sangat darshan programmes of the previous Badal government.
The owner, Pi rt hi Ram Bans al claimed that Rs 13 lakhisy et tobe paid to the firm for providing tax is during sang at dar sh an programs of former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, former deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Bada land union food processing industries minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal for the period between May 1,2016 to December 31, 2016.
He added another Rs 1.4 lakh is pending for taxis he provided for ferrying officials deployed in the security of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi during his visit to the town in January. According to him, Rs 9.5 lakh is yet to be paid for providing taxis during the foundation stone laying ceremony of A II MS in the district in November 2016.
“Sometimes, I hired tax is from other firms to meet the requirement by paying out of my own pocket. The total outstanding is Rs 24 lakh,” he claimed, adding that he had provided his services after written communication from the district administration.
“I have filed a plea for clearing of my dues at the websites of the PM O website, butt ono avail ,” he claimed, adding that the administration had cited lack of funds as reason to deny his repeated requests.
When contacted, deputy commissioner Diprava Lakra said, “The process to clear his bill is on.”