Councillors unapproachable, Chandigarh residents’ works affected

Sandeep Rana

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Chandigarh, January 27

With councillors being away from the city and their mobiles remaining switched off or out of network for over two weeks ahead of the mayoral poll of January 30, residents’ works are lying stuck.

Many residents said other than routine MC works, attestation of various documents, signature of representatives required for concessional bookings of community centres and for Aadhaar card (in case of unavailability of address proof and ration card) are getting delayed in the absence of the councillors.

Hitesh Puri, chairman, Chandigarh Residents’ Associations Welfare Federation (CRAWFED), an umbrella body of the city’s residents’ welfare associations (RWAs), said, “We had to book a community centre for our general body meeting in a ward but the councillor concerned is unavailable. We tried to contact him, but his phone was switched off. Works of public such as attestation of several documents or signatures required in other matters have got stuck. There is no information about public representatives whom public elected for their local works. Are these councillors so easy prey that they have to be out of the city for so many days?” Baljinder Singh Bittu, Chairman, Federation of Sectors Welfare Association of Chandigarh (FOSWAC), another umbrella body of the RWAs, said, “Though most MC-related works can be done on the Smart City app, people who have to get their papers attested are suffering a lot. It should not have happened. One who has no numbers should let the others rule.”

Meanwhile, some councillors claimed they were in touch with people and were resolving their issues over the phone. The others said they had been visiting the city in between.

Why people need their representatives

Many residents said other than routine MC works, attestation of various documents, signature of representatives required for concessional bookings of community centres and for Aadhaar card (in case of unavailability of address proof and ration card) are getting delayed in the absence of the councillors.

Where are they

The councillors of AAP continue to be at some undisclosed location with their mobile phone numbers remaining switched off or “out of network”. While Congress councillors are touring different towns in Punjab, those of the ruling BJP, who till now were shuffling between the city and Panchkula, said to have left for Ambala on Saturday.

Public left in the lurch

We had to book a community centre for our general body meeting but the councillor concerned is unavailable. We tried to contact him, but his phone was switched off. Works of public such as attestation of several documents or signatures required in other matters have got stuck. — Hitesh Puri, chairman, CRAWFED