Chandigarh Mayor’s tenure nears end, 12 sub-panels nowhere in sight

Tribune News Service

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, December 6

Perhaps for the first time, the one-year term of a Mayor will end without having constituted 12 sub-committees, including three statutory ones.

Under the norms, the three sub-committees — road, house tax assessment, and water supply and sewage disposal — are formed by the Mayor soon after taking charge, while the names of the nine other sub-panels are sent to the UT Administrator for approval.

BJP wary of other parties

BJP had earlier said it was awaiting naming of nominated councillors. It doesn’t want councillors of others parties to have a say in MC. Yogesh Dhingra, AAP’s Leader of Opposition

Proposed panels for five years

Names of nominated councillors got cleared late. We have proposed to the UT Administrator to form panels for five years, rather than one year. Sarbjit Kaur, Mayor

“It is mandatory for the MC to form the three committees, comprising seven members each. The corporation is incomplete without these. If the panels are not formed, the powers in a way rest with the officers. All matters then go to the Finance and Contracts Committee, which only has five councillors. The BJP fears if the panels are formed, it will have to make other party councillors as members,” says Congress’ former Mayor Subhash Chawla.

AAP’s Leader of Opposition in the House Yogesh Dhingra says: “The BJP had earlier said it was waiting for the naming of nominated councillors. It has been over a month now since the members were nominated. It seems the party doesn’t want councillors of others parties to have a say in MC.”

Rubbishing the allegations, Mayor Sarbjit Kaur says: “The names of nominated councillors got cleared late, thus the sub-committees could not be formed. Since, it’s already the fag-end of year, we have proposed to the UT Administrator to form panels for five years rather than one year.”

The three sub-committees have the power to clear agendas up to Rs 25 lakh. The committees are supposed to meet every month.

Besides, nine special sub-committees, including sanitation, electricity, environment, city beautification, women empowerment and enforcement, have also not been formed. They have the mandated to clear works for up to Rs 15 lakh. The Finance and Contracts Committee can allocate works for up to Rs 50 lakh. Beyond this amount, agendas go to the MC House. The MC House has 14 councillors each of the BJP and the AAP, while the Congress has six and the SAD has a lone member.

Three committees statutory

• After taking charge, Mayor is required to form three statutory sub-panels on road, house tax, and water supply & sewage disposal
• The sub-panels, with seven members each, have power to clear agendas up to Rs 25 lakh and are mandated to meet every month
• Also, nine special sub-panels, including sanitation, power, environment, city beautification, women empowerment, enforcement, have not been formed

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