FOSWAC asks Chandigarh Admn, MC to resolve issues

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 20

Federation of Sector Welfare Associations Chandigarh (FOSWAC) today raised some unresolved issues to remind the UT Administration and the Municipal Corporation of finding a suitable solution.

Assn’s Take on Waste management policy

The association sought the scrapping or modifying of the waste management policy. Its members said the waste collection charges were too high and even residents not staying on a particular floor were also getting bills. People were also facing issues with waste collection.

Addressing a press conference, Baljinder Singh Bittu, chairman of the association, said the issue of need-based changes in CHB houses had been raised from time to time over the past two decades.

Politicians make promises during election times but forget the issues after that. So is the case with officials, thus the end result is zero. The residents of 60,000 CHB units want to have a one-time settlement as has been done in Delhi.

He raised the issue of conversion from leasehold to freehold at the allotment rates and not on new rates which run into lakh of rupees. We should not forget that a majority of residents in this category are just middle-class people. They cannot afford to pay a hefty conversion fee.

All type of relaxations such as an increase in covered area, modern exterior architectural designs etc. given to the other houses be also extended to CHB houses. Find a practical and viable solution for different categories and sector-wise issues instead of imposing unworkable solution on all, added Bittu.

The association sought the scrapping or modifying of the waste management policy. Its members said the waste collection charges were too high and even residents not staying on a particular floor were also getting bills. People were also facing issues with waste collection.

The members also said the water charges had been increased up to three times without any value addition. “We feel this increase is unjustified, especially when we are paying a hefty property tax. It is the duty of the MC to provide the basic amenities of potable water, collection and management of garbage, and other facilities to the residents, said JS Gogia, general secretary, FOSWAC.