Mohali residents associations seek hike in park maintenance charges
Sixty-five Residents Welfare Associations (RWAs) in Mohali have sought an increase in the monthly maintenance charges paid by the Municipal Corporation to them for the upkeep of 118 small parks in the city.
The Confederation of Greater Mohali Residents Welfare Associations deputy secretary KK Saini said, “We approached the Municipal Corporation Commissioner and he heard our suggestions on improving civic facilities. We are hopeful that something positive will come out of it.”
At present, Rs 4.23 per sq m is being paid to RWAs for the upkeep of the parks, which they say is not enough.
The rates fixed by the local government in 2017 were revised in 2019 when it was hiked from Rs 2.23 to Rs 4.23. Since there has been no revision. According to a notification, there was a provision for 20 per cent annual hike, which should be around Rs 8.81 per sq m today. On an average, a Residents Welfare Association gets Rs 6,000 to 15,000 per month for the maintenance of a small park. The amount is spent on paying gardener’s wages, equipment, water and electricity bills.
Residents say since the MC pays the RWAs, the civic body sweepers do not clean the small parks. The gardeners clean these parks regularly, whereas the contractor cleans big parks once or twice a month that, too, after several complaints, they add.
The maintenance of parks becomes arduous task in the fall season as horticulture waste is difficult to manage for around two months, therefore the maintenance cost also rises. A hike in the maintenance charges will also help improve the city’s Swachh ranking, the residents said.
Deputy Mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi has also written to the MC Commissioner for a hike two days ago. “If RWAs get more money, they can buy more seasonal plants or meet their miscellaneous expenses. RWAs, old and retired people enthusiastically take care of the parks in their locality. It is a fact that the small parks managed by RWAs are better maintained than the big parks being looked after the contractor hired by the civic body,” he added.
