category Regional, samana , , tags Regional, samana , , DW BUREAU Samana Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday announced the closure of a toll plaza on the Samana-Patran road here, officials said. This is the ninth toll plaza to be shut in the state since the Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government assumed office last year. Addressing a gathering, the chief minister said these toll plazas were shops for open loot of general public and they had plundered public money by flouting all norms of their agreements . However, Bhagwant Mann said that it is surprising that instead of taking action against them in larger public interests, the successive state governments had patronised this loot by keeping a blind eye towards their misdeeds. The Chief Minister said that though the people had elected the governments for securing their interests but these power mad politicians shielded such defaulters just for their own vested interests. He said that the previous governments ignored the ambiguities of these erring toll plazas and allowed them to mint the money illegally without bothering the general public. Bhagwant Mann said that at none of the toll plazas, shut so far, the facility of ambulance or recovery van was visible despite provision for it in the agreement. The Chief Minister said that the agreement of this toll plaza was signed on 01 09 2005 during the Captain government and the toll was imposed for 16.50 years. He said that due to several shortcomings a fine of Rs 1.48 crore was imposed on the company adding that it could have been closed on 24 06 2013 due to these shortcomings. However, Bhagwant Mann said that this never happened adding he said that the toll could have also been shut down on 16 10 2018 when the second overlay was not done but no action was initiated. The Chief Minister said that after assuming the charge of office, when his government issued notice to toll plaza for violations, the company managing it moved to the court. However, he said that the plea was rejected by the court and in larger public interest, the government has decided to close it. Bhagwant Mann said that by closing this toll plaza Rs 3.80 lakh of the common people will be saved daily. The Chief Minister said that the company was seeking an extension on the pretext of farmers agitation and Covid pandemic but his government has denied it. He said that this work should have been done earlier but none of his predecessors bothered to secure the interests of people adding that rather they worked zealously for protecting the rights of this company. Bhagwant Mann unequivocally said that every single penny plundered from people will be recovered from these people by all means adding that FIR will also be lodged against the company. The Chief Minister said that a year ago the people of state had voted them to power by pressing a button of the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM). Bhagwant Mann said that today within a year he is pressing four-five buttons daily for dedicating new projects to the people of the state. He said that the day is not far when due to strenuous efforts of the state government, Punjab will emerge as the frontrunner state in the country. Reiterating the firm commitment of his government to punish the perpetrators of sacrilege incidents in the state, the Chief Minister said that for the first time wheels of state government have moved in this direction. He said that justice in these cases is not far away as the challan has already been presented in the court to ensure severest of severe action against the culprits. Bhagwant Mann said that this could have been ensured earlier too but none of the previous governments bothered about it. The Chief Minister said that the traditional political parties are envious of him because they are not able to digest that the son of a common man is governing the state effectively. He said that these governments had ruled the state with their own whims and fancies without bothering about the interest of people. Bhagwant Mann said that but now the son of a school teacher is safeguarding the interests of people a nd its state. (editor dailyworld.in)