SIDHU ORDERS INQUIRY BY CHIEF VIGILANCE OFFICER

JALANDHAR: Punjab local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Monday ordered an inquiry into ₹274-crore LED streetlight project by chief vigilance officer (CVO) and forensic audit team of the local bodies department.

In an emergency review meeting held on Monday, Sidhu directed CVO Sudip Singh Manik to probe the matter and said the forensic audit team will do the audit of the project.

Jalandhar mayor Jagdish Raja, MC commissioner Diparva Lakra, Congress councillor Rohan Sehgal and representatives of PCP International Pvt Ltd – the company tasked with the project – were also present in the meeting.

“After hearing both sides of arguments, the minister has ordered an inquiry to probe any shortcomings in the project,” Raja said.

Under the project launched in August 2017, over 65,000 streetlights were to be replaced by LEDs.

The ₹274-crore project came under scanner after Congress councillor Rohan Sehgal made several allegations in the House meeting last month and met Sidhu in this regard.

“Jalandhar MC gave the contract to the company through a single bid while the tender was for ₹40 crore. The MC went ahead and allocated a contract worth to this company. Only the local bodies department has the authority to clear the project,” Sehgal has alleged. HTC