MC accused of ignoring engineers’ role

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 11

The Council of Engineers filed a complaint with the Mayor as well as the Municipal Corporation Commissioner for allegedly ignoring of the role of civil engineers as ‘technical experts’ in the formation of Smart City Project’s Committee by the MC under the Smart City Mission.

Kapil Arora, president of the association, said like architects, civil engineers who are members of the Institution of Engineers (India), a statutory body, have equal rights in designing and architectural works in India.

“As per the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Urban Development, technical experts should be included in the Smart City advisory forum at the city level. The MC’s decision of involving only architects as technical experts in the committee is unfair. We condemn this act of ignorance by the department as engineers, too, play a major role in development works,” he said.

Another engineer Kulwant Singh said the architects have already been involved in Smart City projects, but practicing engineers have always been ignored.

The Council of Engineers claimed that the actual need of the hour was the introduction of recharge wells for proper drainage of rainwater, eco-friendly disposal of industrial wastes, waste management techniques with modern technology, development of parks and green belts and solution of pollution in Buddha Nullah among others.

“We understand technical problems in a better way than architects. In case the MC fails to involve practicing civil engineers as technical experts in the Smart City Projects’ Committee, we will initiate legal proceeding including filing of writ petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court,” said Kapil Arora.