Lack of trust: Garcha stays away

<div class="section0"><div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="">LUDHIANA: The ongoing war of words between Ludhiana improvement trust chairman and trustees was further fuelled as the chairman failed to attend the meeting of trustees convened at their request after a gap of three months.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">As both sides fight out, the development works of the trust have taken a backseat leaving the public to suffer.The relations between them have been far from cordial since nomination of the trustees reportedly as Garcha has his own ideas of running the trust affairs.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">Though his resolve to remove rampant corruption was appreciated but many among the local staff did not like the administrative steps taken by him in the process and certain Chandigarh-based authorities of local government department, said sources. </span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">Feeling constrained, the trustees openly objected to his style of working. Their rivalry reached the flashpoint when Garcha announced his intentions to resign on June 24 after completing a year''s term in office.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">But he changed the decision and resumed work a couple of days ago. This surprised the trustees who seemed happy to see his back. </span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">Sources said the step was part of Garcha''s strategy to upstage trustees. But they opined the move was likely to backfire as trustees have started holding him responsible for lack of performance during his tenure so far.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">The trustees charge seemed justified as according to them the proposal of building of about 1,000 residential flats in D block of Model Town, Rajguru Nagar, Rishi Nagar and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar failed to take off. </span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">The proposal awaited floating of tenders. Due to incomplete roads, streetlights, water supply and sewerage facilities, these localities could not be handed over to municipal corporation for maintenance.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">There are reports of largescale encroachments on the trust''s land on Pakhowal Road. The construction of commercial complex on Rani Jhansi Road was stopped about a year ago. Garcha courted major controversy when he stalled the ambitious 250 crore project of city centre.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">Trustees Suba Harbhajan Singh and Surinder Singh Bindra told TNN that apart from major works, the routine working of the trust also suffered.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">‘‘We have no answer when people approach us regarding their works,'''' they said. Garcha had not been attending the office as he remained on leave for past some time.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">Though he delegated the powers to the executive officer (EO) but trustees sounded dissatisfied. Garcha could not be reached as his mobile phone was switched off. </span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="">The trustees claimed to have no idea about his whereabouts though the EO told them that he had to attend emergency meeting at Chandigarh.</span></div> </div>