Govt to probe delay into execution of Dalhousie sewerage

An enquiry would be ordered into inordinate delay in execution of Dalhousie sewerage scheme, hanging fire for 20 years, Chief minister Virbhadra Singh assured the Vidhan Sabha today.
Intervening into the matter raised by Dalhousie MLA, Asha Kumari, the Chief Minister said that since the member has pointed out that the scheme was pending completion for so many years, the government would inquire into the delay in installation of the Sewerage Treatment Plant.
The scheme was proposed in 1996 at a cost of over Rs eight lakh and now its cost had now escalated to Rs 17 crore.
In her reply, Irrigation and Public Health Minister Vidya Stokes admitted that the government officers some time act most negligently.

"We would seek explanation from the officers responsible for such a inordinate delay," she said.
Urban Development Minister, Sudhir Sharma said Rs 51 crore under various Sewerage Treatment Plants, including Dalhousie, were lying unspent with IPH department and could not be utilised for long time.

He said the unspent money should be reverted back to the department so that it could be utilised in some other developmental works.
Raising the issue, Asha Kumari alleged that matter tossed between IPH and Urban development department for last 20 years and 98 hectare area of STP in the forest land could not be given Forest Clarence over two decades.

She said the government floated tenders for the STP twice, which were cancelled on technical grounds and pointed that once again the tenders have been invited but expressed apprehensions that it would met the "same fate again".