Ludhiana: Councillor alleges irregularities in vending zone relocation
₹ 1.2-crore Smart City project sanctioned for Zone D was moved to Zone A without due approval. (HT Photo)
In her complaint, Kaur alleged that a ₹1.2-crore Smart City project sanctioned for Zone D was moved to Zone A without due approval. She said work orders for the vending zone were issued on September 21, 2022, but the location was later changed in violation of rules.
According to Kaur, the new site is unnecessary as a vegetable market already exists nearby. She claimed the relocation was done to benefit an acquaintance allegedly planning to set up an illegal slaughterhouse, and that the project is being built on a prohibited green belt.
'This is a clear misuse of Smart City funds. Public money is being spent on an unnecessary project at an unsuitable location, all for personal gain,' she stated, urging the ministry to stop construction and order an impartial inquiry.
MC officials rejected the allegations, saying the project was relocated to provide more space for vendors and reduce congestion. 'The change was made in the interest of public convenience, and there is nothing unlawful about it,' said Shamlal Gupta, superintending engineer of the MC.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
17 minutes ago
- Hans India
PM Modi, Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh extend greetings to countrymen on 79th Independence Day
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday, extended greetings to the people on the country's 79th Independence Day and said this day must inspire all the citizens of the country to keep working hard to realise the dreams of our freedom fighters and build a "Viksit Bharat". Taking to social media platform X, PM Modi said: "Wishing everyone a very happy Independence Day. May this day inspire us to keep working even harder to realise the dreams of our freedom fighters and build a Viksit Bharat. Jai Hind!" Union Home Minister Amit Shah also extended heartfelt congratulations to all the countrymen on the 79th Independence Day and urged all the citizens of the country to contribute towards building a developed, self-reliant India. Taking to X, Union Minister Shah wrote: "Heartfelt congratulations to all countrymen on Independence Day. I pay homage to the freedom fighters who sacrificed everything in the Independence movement. I also salute the brave soldiers who work tirelessly for the unity, integrity, and pride of the nation. Let us all come together to fulfill the dreams of the immortal martyrs of the freedom struggle and resolve to contribute our utmost to building a developed, self-reliant, and exemplary India in every field." External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also extended greetings to all the countrymen on this year's Independence Day. Taking to X, EAM Jaishankar said: "Heartfelt greetings to all countrymen on Independence Day. Jai Hind! Jai Bharat!" Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also extended warm greetings to the people of the country on 79th Independence Day, adding that "this day is not just a celebration of our freedom but a sacred remembrance of the courage, sacrifice and supreme selflessness of countless heroes who gave us the honour of a free India". Taking to X, Union Minister Singh wrote: "Greetings to all fellow Indians on our Independence Day. This day is not just a celebration of our freedom but a sacred remembrance of the courage, sacrifice and supreme selflessness of countless heroes who gave us the honour of a free India. Let us take inspiration from their ideals and work together to build a secure, strong and prosperous 'Viksit Bharat'." Taking to X, BJP President and Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda wrote: "I extend heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to all countrymen on the 79th Independence Day. On this auspicious day, I pay my respects millions of times to the great revolutionaries, freedom fighters, and immortal martyrs who sacrificed everything for the freedom of Mother India. Under the leadership of the respected Prime Minister Shri @narendramodiji, New India is progressing rapidly on the path of advancement with new energy, new confidence, and pride. On this occasion, let us all resolve to build a 'Self-reliant and Developed India'." Congress General Secretary and Wayanad MP, Priyanka Gandhi, on Friday took to her official X account and wrote: "Heartfelt Independence Day greetings to all countrymen. Our millions of heroes made countless sacrifices to grant us freedom. They entrusted us with the national resolve of democracy, justice, equality, and mutual unity. Through the principle of one person - one vote, they gave us a prosperous democracy. Our resolve to protect our freedom, constitution, and its principles remains unwavering. Victory to India! Glory to Bharat!"
The Wire
17 minutes ago
- The Wire
India Gained Independence on This Day in 1947. Today We Are in Danger of Losing Our Secular Culture
Many Indian thinkers believe that India's secularism can survive if governments keep a principled distance from all religions, or promote them equally. But they many be expecting too much from politicians. Illustration: Pariplab Chakraborty The most celebrated moment in modern Indian history – Independence, which came 78 years ago this week – was also one of its most traumatic. For the first time in history, India, a land where pluralism flourished for millennia, was divided on religious grounds. Partition cast a malevolent shadow over our pluralistic, multicultural society. Today, sadly, many Indians think secularism is a bad word, and the country seems bent on creating a Hindu Rashtra. Before it's too late, let's reconsider this position and reclaim our world-renowned heritage of religious tolerance, equality and respect for diverse beliefs. Imagine what India will lose if secularism here dies. About 4000 years ago, our Vedic rishis invented the idea that 'truth is one, the wise call it by different names.' This simple thought brought our ancestors unparalleled progress and prosperity for thousands of years. It allowed people with all kinds of beliefs – pantheists (Hindus), atheists (Charvakas), materialists (Ajivikas), non-atheists (Buddhists), and spiritualists (Jains) – to live and grow together. At the peak of our prosperity in the 3rd century BC, Emperor Ashoka adopted Buddhism, but pronounced an edict: 'One should honour another's religion…By doing so, one helps one's own religion to grow and also renders service to the other's religion.' Buddhism carried this Indian philosophy to nearly all of Asia and eventually every continent on earth. In 1937, Hu Shi, a Chinese politician, lamented, 'Rather than sending soldiers, India sent a few missionaries to conquer China culturally.' Despite the arrival of Muslim rulers through conquest beginning around the 8th century, these pluralistic traditions survived. Some Muslim emperors, like Aurangzeb, were brutally oppressive to other religions, but others, like Akbar, were respectful. Akbar appointed members of different faiths to his cabinet and promoted a syncretic religion (Din-E-Ilahi). When the British arrived in the 18th century, India still enjoyed strong feelings of camaraderie between Hindus and Muslims. In 1857 they mutinied against the British together, and united symbolically under the leadership of Bahadur Shah Zafar, India's last Mughal Emperor. Both Hindu and Muslim rulers, like Rani Lakshmibai and Begum Hazrat Mahal, fought against the British. India's secular culture endured during its Freedom Movement. The 1916 pact between Motilal Nehru and Mohammed Ali Jinnah, representing the Congress and the Muslim League respectively, was hailed as a symbol of Hindu-Muslim collaboration. Gopal Krishna Gokhale, a Brahmin and Congress leader, called Jinnah 'the best ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity.' When Mahatma Gandhi led the freedom movement, he raised religious solidarity to new heights. 'My Hinduism is not sectarian,' he said. 'It includes all that I know to be best in Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, and Zoroastrianism.' This ancient kinship came under great strain when India gained independence. The turning point had actually come a decade earlier, when Jawaharlal Nehru refused to give any Muslim League leader a place in the provincial governments formed in 1937 by the Congress party. It wasn't that Nehru was against Muslims; he just didn't want communal party representatives in government. But this harsh, unilateral decision made Jinnah angry and vengeful, and every effort after that to bring him back to the nationalist cause failed. Jinnah raised the call that 'Islam is in danger,' and rallied Muslims for a separate nation called Pakistan. Partition dealt a blow to the goodwill between the two largest communities in independent India. Hindutva became mainstream in the 1990s and is now India's dominant political movement. Today, many Hindus are rallying to the cause of Hindutva, which seeks to establish a Hindu hegemony in the form of a Hindu Rashtra. The followers of Hindutva feel that the Muslim minority is not committed to India's welfare. This sentiment is hardening by the day and turning into hatred. And as is natural with feelings of animosity, it is being reciprocated. Today, it is hard not to accept than many of India's Muslims and Hindus fear and even hate each other. If India wants to retain its age-old values of multiculturalism, this downward spiral of hatred based on religion must end. Since Hindutva is now politically dominant, this requires that any form of religious discrimination or oppression be constitutionally banned. I have long argued that India must adopt the strict separation of church and state. Many Indian thinkers believe that India's secularism can survive if governments keep a principled distance from all religions, or promote them equally. But they many be expecting too much from politicians. Recently, the chief minister of Assam (and Hindutva devotee) asked, "How can Himanta Biswa Sarma be secular? I am a hardcore Hindu. Similarly, how can a Muslim person be secular. He is a hardcore Muslim.' On the other hand, as Farooq Abdullah, Kashmir's Muslim leader and ex-chief minister, said earlier this week, 'India is going through a difficult phase, but no one can finish its secularism.' Today, on Independence Day let us hope Abdullah is right in his optimism. Bhanu Dhamija is the founder and CMD of Divya Himachal media group and author of Why India Needs the Presidential System. X: @BhanuDhamija The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments. Advertisement
New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
One injured as bridge under construction collapses in Kerala
KOZHIKODE: A portion of the under-construction Thorayikadavu bridge, which connects the Koyilandy and Balussery constituencies, collapsed on Thursday afternoon, injuring a worker. The incident occurred over the middle of the river when a newly installed beam tilted and gave way, causing the concrete structure to collapse along with it. The incident has sparked widespread concern and prompted immediate action from authorities. Local residents and political workers have alleged that substandard construction practices may have led to the collapse — an allegation that is now under official investigation. The injured worker was identified as being part of the construction crew and was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. The Thorayikadavu bridge is designed to connect the Pookkad and Atholi riverbanks. The project, funded by KIIFB (Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board) with a budget of approximately `23.82 crore, is being constructed by the Malappuram-based PMR Group. The bridge is planned to be 265 metres long and 12 metres wide. The construction work is overseen by the PWD Kerala Road Fund Unit. According to local resident Ajay Bose, several construction workers narrowly escaped serious injuries when the beam collapsed during concreting work. 'It's a miracle more people weren't hurt,' he said, highlighting the dangerous nature of the incident. Following the collapse, a higher official with PWD demanded an urgent report from the project director. He stated that further action would be taken once the report is received. Congress workers expressed outrage over the collapse, calling it a textbook example of negligence and corruption. They demanded a thorough probe and strict action against the construction company. 'This is not just a structural failure; it's a failure of responsibility,' said a local Congress leader, who preferred to remain anonymous. 'The public deserves to know why a project of this magnitude, funded by public money, was allowed to be compromised.' Residents said the bridge was seen as a vital infrastructure project that would improve connectivity and boost the local economy. They are demanding accountability from the construction firm, PMR Group, and have called for an urgent and transparent inquiry.
