Open House: What steps should MC take for better maintenance of parks in Chandigarh?

MC shouldn’t raise maintenance charges

The decision to allot the work of maintenance of parks to private parties is not a welcome step. The charges are two-and-a-half times more. The MC is already fund-starved. The civic body has the horticulture department and enough manpower. It has sufficient expertise too. What will happen to the staff if the work goes into private hands. The MC should draft a plan for each park and allot the work to be completed within some time frame. It should conduct monthly inspections as well.

NPS Sohal, Chandigarh

Onus of clean parks on residents too

Though MC is engaging private players to maintain the neighborhood parks, it is the duty of every resident to contribute towards keeping the parks neat and clean. The green areas further enhance the city’s beauty. Moreover, these help in keeping the environment clean. While kids play here, people have morning and evening walks and older people use it as a common place to share their joys and sorrows. So, it is necessary to maintain these parks.

Bir Devinder Singh Bedi

RWAs handling job very well

RWAs are doing a good job in maintaining parks. So, the associations must be preferred to private players. The MC should ensure there is no delay in release of funds to RWAs. The amount of maintenance should be given on quantum of work basis.

Anita K Tandon, Kharar

Outsource work for better upkeep

The private players are maintaining many roundabouts in the city. Residents’ welfare associations are not financially capable to maintain parks, due to which most of these remain unkempt and shabby. It would be better to outsource the work to private players for their better upkeep.

Capt Amar Jeet, Kharar

Hire expert in horticulture

The agency roped in for maintenance of parks should have a horticulture specialist on panel. He can advise on which trees and plants should be grown in parks. While children need to play, parks have walking tracks as well. Sometimes, old people are hit by balls. A netted enclosure for playing may be considered.

Sapna Sharda, Chandigarh

Make Compost pits for dry leaves

To improve the condition of parks in the city, the MC must engage more gardeners and horticulturists. If there is ample staff, their presence at parks must be ensured as many of them work in private gardens making extra bucks. Each park should have bins. Besides, there should be pits to make compost from dry leaves, etc. Guards should be hired to keep an eye on anti-social elements and securing the park property.

Bubby Soin

Single agency for complete care

The maintenance of parks must be done by the civic body itself for better control and management. Provision of water for gardening and lighting is responsibility of the MC. It is of paramount importance that only one agency is involved for complete care and maintenance of parks. Involving private player and RWAs will lead to multiple problems of control as well as difference of opinion in managing the park affairs. Need of the hour is to have single agency for better control of MC parks in the tricity.

Col TBS Bedi (retd), Mohali

Going private ill-conceived idea

The MC decision to invite private players to maintain neighborhood parks in the city, which are being well-maintained by RWAs, is ill-conceived and smacks of ulterior motives. RWAs have selfless volunteers who are next door residents having emotional attachment with these parks and take pride in their blooming. In doing so they even spend extra money from their pockets. Neighborhood parks maintained by the RWA, MHC , Sector 13, under an MoU with the MC, were applauded by the MP and the Mayor too. To avoid putting further tax burden on city residents , the cash-strapped MC must drop this illogical and ill-conceived move and continue with the present system for park maintenance.

Subhash Luthra

Stop parks from turning parking lots

Parks around residential areas in the city have been neglected. These are used for parking lots at many places. Temporary sheds for security guards of VIPs are also built in parks. Handing over their maintenance to private players, along with residential welfare societies, is a good decision. Private players must take advices and suggestions on park beautification from people residing nearby. Unauthorised use of parks for parking of vehicles must be stopped immediately.

Wg Cdr Jasbir Singh Minhas (retd), Mohali

Inspect parks if given to private players

Parks are heritage of the City Beautiful and should be maintained well. With the MC deciding to give the job for their upkeep to private players too, it must conduct regular inspections to ensure that the cleanliness and maintenance is up to the mark.

MR Bhateja, Nayagaon

Civic body move on privatisation baffling

RWAs had been maintaining public parks well in most sectors despite budget constraints. The decision of authorities to outsource the park maintenance to private agencies is baffling. There could be stray cases where parks are not maintained properly due to squabbles among residents. Such cases should be identified and addressed separately. Otherwise, retired people, housewives, social workers and NGOs should be roped in for the job. Their services should be rewarded and recognised from time to time by the Mayor.

Yash Khetarpal, Panchkula

RWAs answerable to area residents

A well-maintained park adds to the beauty of a city. However, official-contractor nexus is the reason for poorly maintained parks. Parks held by RWAs are in good condition as these associations are answerable to residents. Therefore, neighborhood parks should be handed over only to RWAs for maintenance. Public parks used by citizens can be given to contractors with a proper check by MC officials.

Col Balbir Singh Mathauda (retd)

No need to rope in private players

When RWAs are maintaining parks at a low cost, where is the need to hand these over to private parties and burden the exchequer. The Municipal Corporation should release a bit more money to RWAs for further improving the condition of these parks. The MC has its own team of gardeners, who could be assigned parks for their maintenance and paid extra for the job. Pertinently, MC gardeners are awarded at Rose Festival. Last, but not the least, the MC should pull up its engineering officials for proper supply of tertiary water to these parks.

Savita Kuthiala

Why raise charges for pvt players?

Parks under RWAs are well-maintained, while others under the MC or the UT Administration are in a bad shape. If the MC engages private players for every work, what is the use of bureaucrats to safai karmcharis, furnished offices and other wasteful expenditure? If RWAs can maintain in less money, why double the amount for private players. What extra are they going to give?

Sukhwant Bhullar, Chandigarh

MC, RWAs can Go for joint venture

Everyone knows that greenery is very important for us. Oxygen is provided by trees. RWAs should continue to maintain neighbourhood parks. The MC should not engage private players. If need be, the MC as well as RWAs should jointly maintain each park. These parks increase the beauty of the city. Greenery also helps keep the environment cool.

Sumesh Kumar Badhwar, Mohali

MC decision Smacks of corruption

The MC House nod for handing over the job of upkeep of parks to private players at a high cost has raised eyebrows. There is need to ascertain the actual reason for outsourcing the work. Corruption cannot be ruled out. The decision should be reviewed. Even if the park upkeep is given to private parties, the MC should appoint nodal officers who would check the works done by the contractor. The mobile number of the nodal officers should be made available in public domain.

Vidya Sagar Garg, Panchkula

Provide manure, plants for parks

The MC should either take the neighborhood parks under it or hand over these to RWAs concerned on payment of specified charges. Help of senior citizens or retired personnel can be taken to take care of parks. The MC should prepare manure from horticulture waste and use it in parks. It can also provide saplings to be planted in the parks to RWAs.

Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali

RWAs should continue to maintain parks

RWAs of different sectors are doing good work of maintaining neighbourhood parks. Roping in private operators will ruin it. Instead, the MC authorities should increase the maintenance charges paid to RWAs. Any private player engaged for the job would eye profit, whereas RWAs will see the interest and ease of residents. The corporation may create a competitive environment by dividing the work between the two.

Bharat Bhushan Sharma

At times, RWA chiefs are biased

The Chandigarh MC’s decision to hand over the maintenance of parks and green areas to private firm initially in one sector as a pilot project is a welcome step. At present, the parks maintained by RWAs suffer from many flaws and irregularities. The upkeep and beautification of a park is at the whims and fancies of the RWA president. Bias leaves other parks at the mercy of nature.

RPS Chopra, Chandigarh

TDS on reimbursed expense illogical

TDS deduction on receipts of reimbursement of expenditure incurred by RWAs on maintenance of neighborhood parks is totally illogical and unjustified. There was no such condition in the MOU signed by various RWAs with the MC. The UT Administration must intervene and resolve the issue by withdrawing the TDS instructions issued by the MC to RWAs so that the city parks be maintained in a way they are being done at present. RWAs backing out will lead to parks turning into ruins.

Sanjay Chopra, Mohali

MC brought in misplaced idea

RWAs are reportedly doing a yeoman’s service in maintaining the neighbourhood parks in Chandigarh. They have been actually competing with one another to show good results by putting in their best. Now that the MC has come up with an idea of handing over the maintenance of city parks to private players. It is a misplaced idea floated without much thinking. It will undo the efforts made by RWAs. The MC should immediately revisit its decision.

Ramesh K Dhiman, Chandigarh

Move will increase burden on residents

There are about 1,800 parks across the city and over 700 are being maintained by the RWAs while the remaining are being maintained by the MC itself. Allotting parks to private contractors at an exorbitant rate is nothing but fleecing residents. They would be taxed more so as to arrange funds to pay high charges to the private parties for maintaining parks. Residents should be spared of more taxes and the civic body should take over maintenance of all parks.

SK Khosla, Chandigarh

MC decision right as RWAs face many issues

Chandigarh is known for a large number of neighbourhood parks, a unique addition to a city’s overall green cover. The upkeep and maintenance of these parks is a challenging task. RWAs have not been able to maintain these parks properly, may be due to paucity of time and funds or lack of volunteers. The MC is right in deciding to use the services of private agencies for the work. Some of the RWA-managed parks have bald patches. Stray dogs are common in all, scaring visitors.

Anil Kumar Yadav, Chandigarh

Need to do more for cleaner parks

Roping in private players for aiding RWAs in maintaining parks will be beneficial. However, this is not enough. The authorities can do much more to see cleaner parks. The old equipment in parks should be repaired and each park should have swings or an open-air gym. Parks should also have facilities like washrooms. There should be incentives for RWAs maintaining the parks well.

Saikrit Gulati, Chandigarh

Engage experts, guide RWA-hired workers

The MC should engage a team of expert gardeners to monitor the work at RWA-managed parks. It should also regularly guide the semi-skilled gardeners engaged by RWAs. Allotment of funds versus expenditure should be audited to ensure optimum utilisation of money. Regular and adequate supply of treated water to the parks should be ensured.

Sqn Ldr Manjit Singh Johar (retd), Chandigarh

QUESTION

Despite regular enforcement drives carried out by the Municipal Corporation, encroachment is rampant across Chandigarh. Corridors have been encroached upon by shopkeepers, while street vendors have illegally occupied public spaces, causing inconvenience to the general public. What more needs to be done to make the city encroachment-free?

Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to openhouse@tribunemail.com