Senior officers remained tight-lipped on being asked about what decisions were taken and which important issues were discussed at the meeting.
Yet another UT Administrator’s advisory council meeting took place here on Wednesday, ending with a lavish lunch at Hotel Mount View. Suggestions were sought from members at the “closed door meeting”.
Former BJP chief Sanjay Tandon said there should be “conclusive decisions”, adding that matters should be made time-bound. “I said (in opening remarks) it has been 10 years that I have been a member of this advisory council and we just hold meetings and meetings but don’t reach any conclusive decision. At least things should be time-bound. People send in their requests to raise issues before the council but when there is nothing conclusive, how will things work?” asked Tandon.
He further said, “At least the officials can say that this particular issue can’t be addressed so that people stop hoping. Issues are eating dust. For example, I am a member of the sports committee and cash awards won by players in 2019 have not been released to them yet.”
The meeting ended with a lavish lunch at a five-star run by the Chandigarh Administration.
A huge shamiana was erected on the lawns outside Rustles, and delicacies were served by the dozen.
Council member Devinder Singh Babla said, “If they have to take suggestions, they can take them on email. What is the need to call us here? This meeting should be where we all are informed about the status of major projects. At least the action taken report of the previous meeting should be tabled.”
Several bodies had sent in their demands, hoping to get some relief on certain issues.
Senior officers remained tight-lipped on being asked about what decisions were taken and which important issues were discussed at the meeting.
While UT Adviser Manoj Parida remained tight-lipped about the meeting, DGP Sanjay Beniwal too said it was an Administrator’s event and he couldn’t divulge much detail about it.
Nursing Homes In Residential Areas
On the row over nursing homes in residential areas, which was rejected by the sub-committee of the advisory council, the officers referred the issue to a health committee. The sub-committee had rejected the proposal, saying that Chandigarh has an acute parking problem within residential areas and having nursing homes will further add to the chaos and traffic congestion within the sectors.
It opined that ambulances moving in and out of residential lanes will not only create noise pollution but also disrupt the peace in the area.
MP Kirron Kher has been pushing for the project as a revival of a 1999 policy according to which nursing homes are allowed on residential plots. The policy had allowed for the minimum plot size for nursing home to be 500 square yards and parking space both inside and outside the premises, depending upon the number of beds. This 1999 policy was discontinued by the Administration in 2005 in the wake of parking chaos and heavy traffic congestion.
At the meeting, officers referred it to health committee after rejection from the urban infrastructure committee.
Power Privatisation
Former Union minister and Congress leader Pawan Kumar Bansal said that “when the UT office was managing the department so well, what was the need to privatise it?”.
“This will hike the rates and put unnecessary burden on people. When they can talk of smart grid then why privatise?” he asked.
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