MCG wasting crores on unnecessary projects, councillors claim

Gurgaon: With the finance and contracts committee of MCG still not formed, councillors have alleged that inappropriate methods adopted by the municipal body have led to serious financial lapses.
Some of them have questioned the additional requirement of huge quantities of chlorine costing more than Rs 4.63 crores, when chlorination is already being done at two locations — Basai water works and Sector 16 boosting station. They have alleged that this amount has been split into two parts of Rs. 2.49 crore and 2.13 crore on purpose, in order to avoid sending it for approval to the state government.
RS Rathee, councillor of ward 34 said replacing existing pipelines in Sectors 9 and 9A, which are only a few years old, is waste of funds. "Such pipes last 50 years, and are repaired as per need. Again, the expenditure of over Rs 3.86 crore has been split into two parts to avoid government approval. Moreover, this amount covers only labour cost. The cost of materials would be in addition to this," he said.
The councillors have already written several letters to MCG highlighting the lack of transparency. "No cognizance has been taken of the letters, nor has any remedial action been taken. In addition, tenders are being invited and allotments are being done before taking approval in House meetings," added Rathee.
The councillors also requested that all technical and financial approvals be given only through the works management system (WMS) — the newly launched web portal.
Kuldeep Bohra, councillor of ward 31, questioned the need for installation of electromagnetic flow meters at various boosting stations when the citizens are being charged flat rates for water, and also when there are inlet and outlet meters at the plant and boosting station respectively.
Apart from this, they pointed out that MCG has disbursed Rs 500 crore for some development works which the GMDA is supposed to carry out.
One councillor also noted that a private organisation has shown interest in developing the water bodies in Dhanwapur, Sarai Allawardi & Tigra with their CSR fund. Since this was already in the corporation’s agenda, if MCG gives NOC to the company, corporation funds can be saved, said ward 30 councillor, Mahesh Dayma.
MCG commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh could not be reached for comments.
Ever since formation of House in October 2017, the councillors have been alleging that MCG has been giving approval of the contracts and purchases without constituting a finance committee as mandated by Section 40(3) of the Haryana Municipal Corporation Ac, 1994.
A councillor alleged that without any approval from councillors, the corporation gave administrative approval for projects worth crores of rupees. "There is no accountability or control over the purchases and works being awarded," he said, adding that the concerned engineer never visits the site to verify the job, quantum of the work.
As per Haryana Municipal Corporation Act 1994, “There shall be a Finance and Contracts Committee of the Corporation comprising the mayor, the two deputy mayors, two councillors as members and the Commissioner, and the aforesaid Committee shall exercise all the powers of the Corporation in relation to contracts to be entered into for and on its behalf and the purchases to be made by it.”