Will revive 12 MC panels, says new Chandigarh Mayor Manoj Sonkar

Tribune News Service

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, January 31

On his first day in office, newly elected Mayor Manoj Sonkar said today that he would revive nine special sub-committees and three statutory committees of the Municipal Corporation that could not be formed during the term of the previous two Mayors.

“Today, I had discussions with our party president Jatinder Pal Malhotra on the same issue. He was also in favour of forming the committees. My endeavour is to start the process to constitute all panels soon,” said Sonkar.

Nine special sub-committees on sanitation, environment and city beautification, electricity, fire and emergency services, Apni Mandi and day market, women empowerment, enforcement, slum colonies & village development and art, culture and sports, and three statutory committees on road and house tax assessment, water supply and sewerage disposal are supposed to be formed every year. However, these were no constituted during the tenure of BJP Mayors Anup Gupta and Sarbjit Kaur in the current MC term.

With the BJP not enjoying a majority in the present MC term, accommodating councillors of the Congress and AAP in the panels will be a challenge for the party. It had formed all committees for five years in the last MC tenure when it enjoyed a good majority.

In the present House, the ruling BJP has 14 councillors, AAP 13, the Congress seven and the SAD one.

Given the present equation in the House, getting agenda items passed in these committees would not be easy. Moreover, AAP and the Congress have joined hands under the INDIA bloc.

The three statuary committees are supposed to be constituted by the Mayor soon after assuming charge. For the nine sub-committees, he has to send the names of councillors to the Punjab Governor and UT Administrator for approval.

The sub-committees have the power to clear agendas worth Rs 15 lakh, while statutory committees can decide on works worth Rs 25 lakh. The Finance and Contract Committee, which is being regularly constituted, has the power to approve works worth Rs 50 lakh. All these panels and sub-panels are supposed to hold a meeting once a month.

The Opposition has been stressing that the non-formation of these panels causes a delay in development works.

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