Speaker Kalyan warns officials not to halt development works
Haryana Assembly Speaker and Gharaunda MLA Harvinder Kalyan on Monday directed officials not to halt any development works. “While corruption is a crime, halting development works is an even bigger one,” said Kalyan, while chairing a meeting of officials at the Mini-Secretariat to review development works and the implementation of CM announcements. Deputy Commissioner (DC) Uttam Singh and Mayor Renu Bala Gupta were also present at the meeting.
He directed officials to understand seriousness of development projects and avoid any undue delay or negligence. “Officials must come forward with solutions, not excuses. We are accountable to the public and officers should work fearlessly, as they are the face of the government and bear the public’s expectations,” said Kalyan.
Kalyan instructed immediate action against contractors who delay projects or abandon them midway. “If action is not taken, it will be presumed that there is collusion between officers and contractors,” he warned. “It is unacceptable that government funds are being misused, while projects remain stalled even for months after foundation stones have been laid,” he said.
He pointed out that incomplete works with construction materials left strewn on roads had become a common sight, leading to public displeasure. “As elected representatives, we are questioned by the people when projects remain unfinished. This makes it difficult for us to answer them,” he said, emphasising on the need for transparency and quality in development works.
The Speaker also directed that all road repair works be completed before the onset of the monsoon. Kalyan stressed timely completion of works related to village ponds to prevent waterlogging during the rainy season.
He said CM announcements be categorised into feasible and non-feasible works, with land-related issues identified separately. “Whether it is community centres, schools or hospitals, the exact bottlenecks should be specified clearly,” he said.
The Speaker also expressed concern over delay in the construction of community centres and asked officials to expedite work. Deputy Commissioner instructed the PWD executive engineer to submit a list of contractors who had failed to start work even after receiving work orders and to take punitive action such as imposing fines or cancelling contracts.
He asked officials of all departments to work in coordination and show proactive interest in development work. “If any official faces issues, they must inform the authorities concerned. Departments must also submit roadwork-related lists to the DC office and inform the respective SDMs,” he said. The PWD was also asked to inform all departments about norms related to condemning buildings to avoid unnecessary delays in initiating new projects.
Haryana Tribune