The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

HEALTH

‘Spray DDT on garbage dumps’
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 23 — Mayor, Mr Raj Kumar Goyal today inspected the dumping ground in the Dadu Majra area and took serious note of the problems the insanitary conditions were causing to the people of the area. He asked the contractor to complete the construction work of the factory, which will manufacture manure out of the garbage.

The work on the factory has already started and is likely to be completed by May. The Mayor directed the officials concerned to constantly put mud and DDT on the garbage so as to check the spread of diseases in the area. The medical officer health (MOH) has been asked to exhaust the fund of Rs 10,000 for procuring DDT for the said purpose. The Commissioner and Chief Engineer also accompanied the Mayor.

Meanwhile, the Mayor plans to visit various sectors after the budget meeting of the House on February 27.

SPORT

Athletics club, STC surge ahead
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, Feb 23 — The Athletics Club, Sector 7, among men and the Sports Authority of India, STC, Sector 18 among women won their respective matches on the second day of the Senior Chandigarh Basketball meet played here at the sports complex, Sector 7.

Others who won their league matches were, Sports Complex, Sector 46, and Government College for Girls, Sector 11.

In women section, SAI-18 defeated GCG-11, 43-14 with half-time score of 25-8. Sapna was the top scorer for winners. She netted 18 points followed by Manjula with 14 points. Amandeep and Harpreet Kaur scored nine and eight points’ respectively. From loser’s side, Sumita scored 12 points followed by Hemlata with two points.

In other matches of this section, SC-46 outplayed Athletic club-7, 36-27, with half-time score of 18-11. Aarti Mehta scored 15 points followed by Prabhjot with eight, while Inderjit netted six baskets. Lucky and Shweta scored six and five points, respectively. In yet another league match for women, GCG-11 defeated SC-46, 44-12, with half-time score of 24-3. Sunita and Ranjeeta scored 13 points, each, for winners while Hemlata and Kavita contributed 10 and six points. For losers, Aarti scored 10 points followed by Prabhjot and Inderjit who scored three points , each.

In men section, AC-7 beat GCC-16, 50-27, with half-time score of 22-20. Hari Malhotra scored 15 points while Arun scored 14 points. Sukhreet scored six points. From losers’ side, Kindley, Jimmy and Sunny Sharma scored eight, eight and seven points, respectively.

School games
The UT schools’ handball team brought glory to city when its boys in under-17 category bagged silver medal at the just concluded 46th National School Games held at Guna (MP) on February 17. Out of 16 players of the team, eight were from DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, four from Government High School Sector 37, and one each from Government Senior Secondary School, Sector 21, and Guru Nanak Public School, Sector 36. Bunty of DAVSSS-8 was the captain of the team.

ADMINISTRATION

MC to spend Rs 2 cr on Kharar projects
From Our Correspondent

KHARAR, Feb 23 — The local municipal committee adopted a centrally sponsored scheme of Integrated Development of Small and Medium towns for Kharar at a meeting held here today. Under this scheme a total sum of Rs 2 crore would be spent on some projects. Out of this amount Rs 90 lakh would be a grant from the Government of India and Rs 60 lakh would be a grant from the Punjab Government. The balance amount would be arranged by the committee.

According to Mr Gurpreet Singh, Deputy District Town Planner, Ropar, who was present at the meeting, the main objective of this scheme was to strengthen small and medium towns as regional growth centres, aiming at reducing migration to large and metropolitan cities. He said the objectives of this scheme were to improve infrastructural facilities and helping in the creation of durable public assets in small and medium towns, besides promoting resource generating schemes to improve their overall financial position.

He said the Punjab Government had identified 19 towns under this scheme and Kharar had been included in the list. He said under this scheme various schemes like strengthening of master plan roads, development of bus and truck terminals, solid waste management, development of market complexes and provision of tourist facilities could be undertaken.

At the meeting of the committee held under the presidentship of Mr Ranbir Singh Kala, it was decided to sanction various construction maps of residential houses on which a ban had been imposed earlier. The committee passed a resolution requesting the state government to reduce the assessed price of shops owned by the committee which were to be sold to be tenants, as the prices were high.

‘Notify rules on MC-panel formation’
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 23 — Two congress councillors, Ms Kamlesh and Ms Suneeta, have urged the Chandigarh Administration to formulate and notify the prescribed rules under the Act for the formation of the subcommittees of the Municipal Corporation so that the same are formed in a legal manner henceforth.

The Adviser is reported to have assured them that legal opinion will be sought on the issue from the Legal Remembrancer. Following this necessary action will be taken in accordance with the provisions of the Act.

The two councillors, have in a letter submitted to the Adviser to the UT Administrator, Ms Neeru Nanda, raised objections as regards the resolution passed in the 44th special meeting of the House by majority group of councillors regarding the constitution of the five-member subcommittee to further constitute nine committees. They have pointed out that the House does not have any powers under the Act to constitute any committee other than the three committees mentioned in Section 42(3) of the Act, namely Water Supply and Sewerage Disposal Committee, Buildings and Roads committee and House Tax Assessment Committee.

Therefore, in case the subcommittee of five members constitutes the nine committees, it will be an illegal act on the part of the subcommittee and the House and the functioning of the subcommittee will also be illegal. They have further submitted that the fact that such committees have been functional during the last four years under the mistaken legal position will not give powers to the House to form these committees. On the other hand, responsibility must be fixed on persons who have allowed such committees to function.

Mentioning the proceedings of the House, they have pointed out that Ms Kamlesh and a BJP councillor, Mr Prem Sagar Jain, have urged the Administration to prescribe the formation of the said committees along with the number of members each committee will have and the power and functions of such committees. A copy of the letter has also been given to the Administrator and the Finance Secretary, Mr Rakesh Singh, who is also the Secretary, Local Bodies.

Meanwhile, Mr Prem Sagar Jain also met the Administrator, Lieut-Gen (retd) JFR Jacob, and the Adviser yesterday, urging them to take immediate steps to frame rules and regulations for the formation of subcommittees. He further impressed upon them that even the tenure of the Finance and Contract Committee should be fixed under rules and it should not be more than one year.

Mr Jain has also sought the intervention of the Administration on the issue of imposing property tax on the city residents for generating revenue for development works. He has pointed out that under Section 90 (4) and (5), if the government writes to MC to impose the tax and if they do not do so then the tax can be imposed by the government and this tax imposed under the directions of the Administration will be considered as imposed by the MC. The rules and regulations for the imposition of the said tax have already been framed by the House Tax Assessment Committee.

Mr Jain has also suggested to the Administrator that a cess of Rs 5 per bottle should be allowed on IMF liquor and Rs 3 per bottle on Indian liquor. This indirect tax on the consumer will help generate more money for development works in the city. The Administrator has asked the FS, Mr Rakesh Singh, to look into the proposal.

MC Budget: testing time for Mayor
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 23 — The Mayor, Mr Raj Kumar Goyal, has convened a special meeting of the Municipal Corporation House on February 27 to discuss the proposed Budget estimates of Rs 148.58 crore for the year 2001-2002. The same stand passed by the Finance and Contract Committee and are being brought before the House for a final approval. The passed proposed Budget estimates include Rs 40.86 crore under the planned head and Rs 105.72 lakh under the non-plan head.

According to sources it will once again be a testing time for the Mayor to get the Budget passed in the House keeping in view the fact that his party is in minority. The BJP-SAD councillors, who happen to be in the majority are likely to debate the drastic reduction under the planned head of proposed Budget, which is Rs 17.50 crore less than last year. This, according to them will have a bearing on the development works to be carried out in the city as the outlay under many other heads pertaining to development, such as roads and electricity works has decreased.

The BJP-SAD councillors will also strongly oppose the inclusion of property tax in the proposed Budget. The proposed tax on commercial property is anticipated to yield a revenue of Rs 15 crore this year. But with the Mayor being firm on his stand of not imposing the same, planned expenditure is likely to suffer because of the deficit of Rs 15 crore. Of the total Budget, MC intends to spend only Rs 40.86 crore towards planned expenditure- the developmental works and this deficit will reduce it to Rs 25 crore.

Sources further reveal that though attempts have been made to include other sources of revenue generation worth Rs 15.25 crore, but these are simply projected figures and cannot be regarded as concrete sources of income for the civic body. The same will also be opposed by the councillors.

However, the Mayor is confident of getting the same passed, without levying the burden of property tax on the city residents. He further claims that development works will not be affected as efforts will be made to reduce MC expenditure and generate more revenue through the sale of property.

According to sources, another important agenda item pertaining to according approval to the list of beneficiaries of the recently launched Antodaya scheme of the Central Government, under which the poorest of the poor in the city will get wheat and rice at highly subsidised rates.

Draw of lots for rehri sites
From Our Correspondent

SAS NAGAR, Feb 23 — A draw of lots for 288 built-up rehri sites in Phases X and XI was held by the Punjab Planning and Urban Development Authority (PUDA) in Phase I here today.

As many as 134 sites have been allotted in Phase X and 163 in Phase XI. Each site measured 6 ft by 6 ft. The cost of a site in Phase X has been fixed at Rs 78,000 while that in Phase XI at Rs 81,000. The allottees have to pay 25 per cent of the cost at the time of allotment and the rest of the amount will have to be deposited in four instalments.

However, some of the khokha owners of the Phase XI rehri market had yesterday complained that their names had not been included in the survey carried out by PUDA officials for allotting rehri sites. They demanded that the draw of lots should be cancelled.

Mr G.S. Ghuman, Estate Officer, said many khokha owners were doing part time business. Whenever PUDA officials went to carry out a survey, a number of khokhas were found locked. He said the names of only those persons were included in the survey list who were present during the day time.