Illegal streetlight connections
PSEB penalises Nagar panchayat
Told to pay Rs 13 lakhs as streetlights were lighted with Kundi connections in Handyaya
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Barnala, November 22
A day after the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) slapped a fine of more than Rs 13 lakhs on Nagar Panchayat Handyaya for lighting streetlights with Kundi connections, more than half of the total members of the Panchayat said that president, who got the streetlights working on Kundi connections, should pay the fine.

Ranbir Koshal along with five other members (belonging to opposition Congress) of the eleven member Nagar Panchayat, informed the TNS that the decision to make street lights functional on Kundi connection was never taken by the Nagar Panchayat and it is the president, who belongs to ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), who got the lights working on the illegal connection.

“Why should the Nagar Panchayat pay for the misdeeds of the president of the Panchayat. It is not the Nagar Panchayat's decision to make the streetslights functional on illegal connection and was taken by the president individually without taking majority of the members into confidence,” said Ranbir Koshal, ex-president of Nagar Panchayat and senior Congress leader. “Since the PSEB has imposed a fine of more than Rs 13 lakhs on Nagar Panchayat for power theft, we will demand that the person, who has made these lights functional on illegal power connection, should pay the fine.”

Even the single member of the four member of the SAD (Badal) in the Nagar Panchayat advocated that there should be a probe into the illegal use of power connection for running street lights.

“Anyone, be it president of Nagar Panchayat or local MLA or any other person, who has got these street lights functional on Kundi connection, should pay the fine imposed by the PSEB. Why should Nagar Panchayat pay for the illegal act of an individual,” said Mohinder Pal, one of the member of the ruling SAD (Badal) told the TNS.

Every effort to contact the president of the Nagar Panchayat Harjinder Kour did not materialise as she according to her husband does not have a phone number, but her husband told the TNS, “It is not the president of the Nagar Panchayat, who had got street lights working on illegal power connections.”

“It is the executive officer of the Nagar Panchayat, who had issued tenders for installation of these street lights and president had no role to play in the installation or working of street lights on illegal connection.”

Even as The Tribune tried to contact the executive officer of the Nagar Panchayat, his mobile phone was switched off.