Crematorium plans: Rs 30 lakh for upkeep of meditation centre, Rs 50 lakh for landscaping

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, June 12

As part of the MC plans for the renovation of the cremation ground in Sector 25, a whopping Rs 30 lakh will be spent on the upkeep of meditation centre at Le Corbusier’s pier, Rs 50 lakh on horticulture works and Rs 15 lakh on the installation of a music system and carpeting of the AC hall.

These proposed expenditures are part of the rough estimates for “special repair and uplift” of the cremation ground, approved by the MC House yesterday.

The horticulture works include plantation of white and lilac flowers on the premises, creation of mounds and landscaping of the area. Besides, a designer pergola (Rs 17.10 lakh), outdoor electric works (Rs 25 lakh), houses for priests (Rs 74.32 lakh), internal electric installations (Rs 9.90 lakh), signage (Rs 3.50 lakh) and renovation of the graveyard and Bahai gulistan (Rs 25 lakh each) are other works to be carried out under the renovation plans.

The MC House, ruled by Congress-AAP alliance, approved this Rs 7 crore agenda yesterday amid protests by the Opposition BJP. Second Innings Association, a city-based senior citizens’ body, today wrote to Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit requesting him to not give the final approval to the agenda.

“A committee, including MC Chief Engineer, and I had inspected this cremation ground in 2016. Following the inspection, a major renovation was carried out there. Later, more such works were done at the ground. Now, this plan of spending Rs 7 crore is only an inflated tender,” said RK Garg, president of the association.

“Consultancy expenses can be avoided by assigning the job to the Urban Planning Department. Irrespective of political parties and Mayors coming to power in the MC from time to time, inflated tenders continue to be floated,” he added.

BJP councillor Maheshinder Singh Sidhu said, “This is a waste of public funds and should not be allowed at all. A committee comprising all party-councillors should be formed to have a relook at what works are necessary to be carried out. Unnecessary expenses should be avoided.”

Defending the move, Mayor Kuldeep Kumar said, “Some people have stooped to this level that they are doing politics on funds for the cremation ground. The Governor sahib were of the view that the cremation ground should look good and more beautiful.”