Chaos in Chandigarh Municipal Corporation: Controversy Over Drumming Outside Homes of Litterers

Chandigarh (The Uttam Hindu): The General House meeting of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation began today in a tense atmosphere. The major point of dispute was the controversial plan to shame people who throw garbage on the streets by beating drums outside their homes, and the subsequent withdrawal of this decision. Opposition councillors strongly targeted the Mayor and the corporation administration over this issue.

According to sources, councillors led by the Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor may stage a unique protest by beating drums themselves to highlight the failures of the corporation. They alleged that the administration is issuing such unreasonable orders to hide its shortcomings. Heated discussions are also expected on the failure of the Manimajra Housing Project and the city’s 24×7 Water Supply project.

During the meeting, Councillor Mahesh Inder Singh Sidhu strongly raised the issue of park maintenance. He said that Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) are managing city parks, but their payments have been pending for the last eight months. Taking immediate note, Municipal Commissioner Amit Kumar issued strict instructions to release all pending payments to RWAs within seven days. Chandigarh has around 809 parks under the Municipal Corporation.

Councillor Yogesh questioned the 24×7 water supply project, arguing that the city already has clean and drinkable water, so the public’s money should not be wasted on this plan. Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla responded that the project is currently on hold. It will be brought back in the next meeting after a complete review.

As soon as the meeting began, former Mayor Kuldeep Kumar raised issues from his ward. He complained that road construction work started in his area but was stopped midway, causing inconvenience to residents. Like the previous two meetings, heavy uproar is expected once again in the House.