Chandigarh MC okays budget for Rose Festival, purchase of 11 firefighting vehicles

Chandigarh, January 9

The MC House today gave its nod to the budget for the Rose Festival, the installation of rooftop solar power plants on 110 MC buildings and the procurement of 11 firefighting vehicles.

With no light-and-sound show, the estimate for the three-day Rose Festival slated for February was approved for half the sum of Rs 98.76 lakh. However, the final call regarding a light-and-sound show or a singers’ night will be taken up by a panel formed by the civic body.

The MC House also agreed to purchase new diesel-run firefighting vehicles. According to the fire wing, out of the total 21 existing firefighting vehicles, 16 are over 15 years old. These no longer have any utility, as according to the norms laid down by the Government of India, all such vehicles are declared ‘condemned’. Now, the corporation is all set to buy 11 diesel vehicles for an estimated Rs 6.9 crore.

These vehicles will be replaced with new ones so that operations are not hit. Besides, there is a proposal for the purchase of five water bowsers with a capacity of 12,000 litres each and six small water or foam tenders. Further, Rs 17 crore will be shelled out for solar power plants.

House clears key proposals

• Renovation of Sector 25 Christian cemetery and construction of children burial ground on MC land
• Medical Officer of Health (MOH) wing to take care of residential horticulture waste in the northern sectors and Lion Services Limited to lift waste in southern areas
• MC’s vacant land in Mani Majra to be used for the construction schools, colleges and health centres
• Recruitment of 28 more sub-inspectors and 117 labourers in the enforcement wing so that each of the 35 wards has an SI
• Construction of a synthetic track in Garden of Shrubs, Sector 46, with an outlay of Rs 1.12 crore