Open House: What expectations do you have from your next representatives?
The MC should work as a team. The Mayor has a vital role to play in keeping the MC House, comprising councillors from various parties and Independents, united to serve the interests of the residents without any bias. Inadequate infrastructure and services are perennial challenges in our area. The voters want their elected representatives to deliver by improving the services and infrastructure. They expect that the Mayor and councillors will work with utmost sincerity and honesty. Easy accessibility of councillors is a must.
Vineet Gandhi, Mani Majra
Systematic disposal of garbage
We as citizens of Chandigarh expect clean service lanes, regular sweeping of roads, a systematic disposal of garbage and green area around houses, instead of paver blocks.
Sapna Sharda, Chandigarh
Need to develop proper markets
Residents of sectors 50 and 63 are facing a lot of inconvenience due to the delay in the development of markets and poor basic facilities. They are dependent on the markets of Burail village and Mohali for their day-to-day needs. Representatives in the new House should address the following issues on a priority basis: Reopening of Apni Mandi of Sector 50, developing markets where one can find eateries, chemists, ATM booths, E-Sampark Kendra, a post office and banks in sectors 50 and 63; installing a mobile tower of the BSNL to resolve the call drop problem and maintenance of internal roads as well as parks.
Jai Goel, Chandigarh
Lack of work ethics in Administration
The MC has started the waste-segregation system and residents are following the same. Little do we know that the segregated waste is being dumped together at the Dadu Majra dump. Residents of Dadu Majra are facing multiple problems due to the lack of work ethics in the Administration. Candidates either have no clue what do with the garbage or they are just inefficient. Each and every clause of Swachh Bharat Sarvekshan 2016 is not been complied with. For a small town like Chandigarh, there can be plenty of solutions.
Samita Kaur, Chandigarh
Make spendings transparent
The representatives of citizens are required to work effectively. They are the medium between citizens and the Administration. They should get pending projects completed on time, roads constructed wherever necessary, ensure 24/7 hour water supply and power. The funds allotted to wards must be spent transparently. Councillors should be available to solve the problems of residents. NGOs and welfare societies must coordinate with councillors to improve the city’s ranking in Swachh Survekshan next year.
MR Bhateja, Nayagaon
Expectations depend on our choice
If we really want improvement in the basic amenities, this is the right time to go for the best candidate and vote for him or her. The yardstick is the ability, availability and assertiveness, and the one who meets all the three prerequisites can possibly deliver after election. The choice of the most appropriate candidate has to be without any consideration of his or her political linkage. It is a tough call, but that is what our RWA, MHC, in Ward No. 6 has advised to residents.
SC Luthra, MHC, Chandigarh
Maintain sanctity of City Beautiful
Better known as City Beautiful, Chandigarh has lost its glory in the past. Sanitation and cleanliness should be a priority. Security be beefed up to make the city a crime-free zone. Heaps of garbage be removed and littering by residents curbed. Stray menace be contained.
Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali
Vote for candidates, not parties
As the Chandigarh MC is going to the polls on December 24, I believe people must vote for candidates, not parties. Whosoever is elected, it is his duty to work for the welfare of the people. There is no other way to get votes. If a particular candidate works for public welfare, he or she will automatically get votes. People never want just hollow promises. They want someone who really worries about his area. The candidates should have a proper road map for the development of the city before they go in public seeking votes.
Bir Devinder Singh Bedi, Sangrur
Convert properties to freehold
New representatives should ensure markets for every sector, permission is granted for constructing additional floors in the existing societies on the pattern of the CHB and the HSVP, conversion of property from leasehold to freehold, shelters and benches at every bus stop and pothole-free roads.
Naveen Kumar, Chandigarh
Make city clean and crime-free
Newly elected ward representative should take steps to make our city clean and green, thus our ranking goes up in next Swacch Survekshan. Managing waste properly right from households to the disposal point should be our top priority. All-out efforts be made to make the city crime-free by installing high-definition CCTV cameras at vulnerable points. Lastly, the help of NGOs and social organisations must be taken in making our city clean and crime-free.
Col TBS Bedi (retd), Mohali
Devise well-planned traffic system
During elections, people have so many expectations from the Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh. They want pollution-free environment, a well-planned traffic system, roads without potholes, good water disposal system and corruption-free City Beautiful.
Adish Sood, Amloh
Councillors shouldn’t be politically motivated
Representatives must be graduate so that they can take up issues of residents at various levels and solve them with a vision. They should not be politically motivated and must know problems of their respective areas. RWAs must take part in the election activities as they know problems of their area better than outsiders. Dummy candidates should not be allowed to contest, like in the name of most women representatives, their husbands or other family members call the shots.
Vijay Malia, Chandigarh
Ensure a strong democracy
We have struggled for freedom for so many years. All MCs should try to become a strong democracy. They must strive hard to provide better education, health, water and electricity services to residents and encourage brotherhood. The voice of the public should be raised at the administration level. They should give special attention to cleanliness, maintenance of parks and roads. They should spare time to listen to the problems of people and try to solve them timely. They should treat the public as a family and engage with the Opposition in a friendly manner.
Sumesh Kumar Badhwar, Mohali
Don’t fall in trap of freebies
There are some obligatory duties new representatives have to perform. They must know the priorities of their respective areas. We like candidates who understand will the problems of their wards and are easily accessible. Their motive should be to serve the residents and not to become their master. These days all candidates mostly promise freebies, instead of solving our problems. It is a sheer political ploy to garner votes and people should not fall in their trap.
Vidya Sagar Garg, Panchkula
Be innovative to achieve results
A great MC handles unexpected situations with quite confidence and finds solutions to them. It is essential to have eloquent, inquisitive, time-conscious and unflappable representatives who can deliver in the face of a crisis. They can focus on outcomes and use unconventional methods to achieve results. A good councillor should come up with solutions and he must be ruthless with meeting deadlines.
Anita K Tandon, Kharar
Restore character of City Beautiful
Chandigarh has always been characterised as being a clean and green city without pollution, easy traffic, low taxes, low prices of petrol and cheap electricity water etc. A centre for higher education and medical facilities which are managed by bureaucrats, academics, doctors and engineers with integrity and accountability but without political interference. Lately, rampant corruption with investments in non-productive projects have led to high taxation and inflation. We expect honest people will be elected to the MC House who will restore the lost glory of City Beautiful.
Dr DP Singh, Chandigarh
People expect clean, better civic body
It will be good to see a change in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation House after the elections. The people of Chandigarh expect a clean and better administration from the new House. The main challenges which are waiting for them to be looked into immediately are: Public transport, traffic management, 24X7 supply of water and electricity and sanitation.
Sanjay Chopra, Mohali
Make waste mgmt plant functional
Chandigarh is doing well according to the resources it has but with the passage of time, there is a need for technology change. Pollution and population are always a matter of concern. New MC House should work to start the waste management plant in the city. More hi-tech parking and e-rickshaw should be promoted. Sincere efforts are needed to check the use of single-use plastic. Special machines should be installed across the city to dispose of plastic.
Avinash Goyal, Chandigarh
New councillors should be proactive
It is generally observed that candidates are only seen just before the elections and disappear later. We should elect those persons who are visible in his/her ward after elections. In some cases, the activity level of councillors remains during inaugural functions only. We want a proactive MC House which should contribute to implementing policies once framed for the betterment of the city’s environment, e.g. door-to-door garbage collection.
Bharat Bhushan Sharma, Chandigarh
Ensure civic amenities in sector 50, 63
There is a marked difference between civic amenities in the city and those provided to the residents of sector 50 & 63. They are living almost without any civil amenities. There has been no “Apni Mandi” since September at Sector 50. Residents of Sector 50 have to visit other sectors to meet their basic needs of vegetables fruits. New MC representatives should immediately restore “Apni Mandi” operations at Sector 50 and make efforts to set up a temporary market till the modalities for the auction of shopping centres are chalked out.
Smriti, Chandigarh
Maintain status of planned city
Now, it is the turn of voters to elect their representatives. The basic needs such as regular water supply, recarpeting of roads, maintenance of parks and street lights are a few issues which voters should keep in mind while electing their representatives. Parking woes and traffic congestion are other areas of concern. The new team must make efforts to maintain the planned status of City Beautiful and improve its ranking in various national level competitions.
Wg Cdr (Dr) Jasbir Singh Minhas (retd), Mohali
Choose right candidate Carefully
We need to be very careful in voting for a right candidate. The issues that need to be tackled on priority are door-to-door collection of segregated waste, stray menace and partially functional CCTV cameras at traffic lights. In view of the Omicron threat, Covid protocol needs to be strictly enforced. All medical services should come under the Essential Services Act and strike by doctors/para medical staff should be banned pending the pandemic threat. Night petrolling must be intensified to check the incidents of eve-teasing, snatching and theft. VAT be kept under check so as to keep fuel prices on a par in Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula. It should be made mandatory for newly elected councillors to attend at least 90% House meetings, otherwise their membership be suspended.
Yash Khetarpal, Panchkula
Wake up call for electorate
For me an ideal candidate would be one who fights election for serving people of the city, not for getting power and money; one who does not give contracts and tenders on the basis of commission offered or personal relations but on merit; who spends public money on works of public benefit and not on free vacations in the name of study tours; who ensures that employees do their job of maintenance and cleaning of the city, not use them for personal work in his or her home. Unless voters wake up to the need of choosing honest candidates, the MC will be a burden on honest taxpayers.
Bubby Soin, Chandigarh
Councillors have a big role to play
One should expect nothing from newly elected councillors rather it should be the other way round. The councillors should visit their respective wards at odd hours and see what residents need the most. If there are dark spots, then the very next day tube lights should be installed. They themselves can check the wastage of water by residents in the morning. They should talk to housewives to know their problems. Last but not least, the Mayor will pass orders as consented by a majority of the councillors, so one expect much from the councillors, rather than the Mayor.
Savita Kuthiala, Chandigarh
Prioritise works, keep public interests in mind
Newly elected councillors should first prioritise the public-centric projects they need to focus on. Their top priority should be the safety and security of women, which has gone for a toss in Chandigarh. Up next is the nagging traffic mess that needs to be addressed, sooner than later, so that one could drive on the city roads sans any unfounded fears of a mishap. The ill-kempt city parks need immediate attention. CCTV cameras need to be installed at vantage points to ensure safety of women, especially those who work in night shifts. The new representatives must also effectively deal with the stray menace. To cap it all, the system of garbage collection needs to be streamlined to make the city filth-free.
Ramesh K Dhiman, Chandigarh
Streamline garbage collection
There are many expectations from new councillors. Besides streamlining garbage collection in the city, infrastructure of community centres needs to be strengthened. Many community centres are in a shabby condition. Their upkeep is vital. These should be well equipped with indoor recreational facilities for enjoyment of leisure lifestyle, especially by women and senior citizens.
RPS Chopra, Chandigarh
Transformational decisions
Other than managing various challenges thrown up by Covid-19 for the past two years, Chandigarh needs many transformational decisions by the new MC representatives to improve the living standards of the citizens. The city needs proper solid garbage management apart from the repair of broken pavements across the city. Open electrical junction boxes need immediate attention to prevent electrocution of people especially at night. Quality of potable water needs to be given priority. The threat of stray dogs in public parks and residential areas also has to be effectively dealt with. The other immediate priorities of the new MC office-bearers include improvement in law and order, upgrade of public transport, piped gas connections in all the sectors, upkeep of the public gardens, removal of encroachments on open spaces etc.
Dr Anil Kumar Yadav, Chandigarh
Old issued be resolved speedily
The old problem of waste management plant, which has a limited capacity and has not been running properly, should be resolved effectively. Road recarpeting should be carried out in routine, more funds be generated by renting all properties under the corporation and more CCTV cameras be installed to enhance vigil on the activities of criminals as crime has increased manifold in the city. Illegal constructions should be curbed.
Aarti Verma, Panchkula
Resolve issue of bus queue shelters
The Administration dismantled over 300 old brick and concrete bus queue shelters in 2016 to build new ones. It struggled hard to finalise the design of new bus queue shelters. One or two samples were also built. No work has been carried out by the authority concerned to rebuild the demolished shelters or construct new ones. New representatives should get cement benches constructed (on the pattern of the bus-stops at the PGI and Sector 18-D) till new bus queue shelters are built.
Akhilesh, Chandigarh
A long list of genuine expectations
There is a long list of genuine expectations from new MC House. The issue of waste management at the Dadu Majra dump be solved by installing modern machinery with the help of global agencies. Repair and maintenance of roads be carried out under professional supervision. There must be an easy and affordable conversion of properties from leasehold to freehold. Lighting up dark spots and installing CCTV cameras on internal roads can help check crime. Water tariff be reduced and storm water disposal streamlined by proper cleaning of road gullies.
Sqn Ldr Manjit Singh Johar (retd), Chandigarh
Efforts needed to restore city’s glory
Newly elected councillors, being the guardians of their respective wards, hopefully shall strive hard to complete the unfinished tasks left by the earlier representatives and restore the glory of the City Beautiful that has nosedived in the past few years. The new representatives are expected to visit their areas at periodic intervals, interact with the local residents, listen to their grievances and understand the problems faced by them. They are also expected to take steps to resolve the various issues faced by the residents and also ensure that the people are, at least, provided with basic amenities in the form of safe water, uninterrupted power supply, clean environment and smooth roads. This will go a long way in restoring the City Beautiful status of Chandigarh.
Dr Dinesh Kumar Verma, Panchkula
QUESTION
In view of the Omicron threat, the UT authorities decided to close schools by advancing the winter vacation by seven days. How can the UT Education Department ensure schools function smoothly in the wake of the pandemic or is shutting schools the right option?
Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to openhouse@tribunemail.com
