Ex-Chandigarh mayors form forum

Chandigarh, November 26

At a time when the MC and the UT Administration are having different stands over issues such electric vehicle policy and charging stations in parking lots, Mayor Anup Gupta, along with around 20 former mayors of all political parties, today formed an ex-mayors’ forum.

They held a meeting in a hotel and formed the forum. “We will also get it registered and it will present a strong and collective voice. We will regularly meet to give our views on local issues,” said Gupta.

Members of the forum felt the UT Administration often neglected the Mayor’s views or the decisions passed by the MC House. It seems, this group will work as a pressure group.

Gupta said it was unanimously agreed to form the ex-mayors forum and the process of its formal formation would be completed soon. This forum will meet four times a year and brainstorm on the burning issues of the city. All former mayors stressed increasing the powers of the elected civic body in Chandigarh.

“That is why today, an ex-mayors’ forum has been formed so that the elected body in the Municipal Corporation of the city is strengthened and the civic body is allowed to take important responsibilities in the event of a problem as well as development of the city,” added Gupta.

Meanwhile, a request was made with the MC for releasing funds for the meeting, but it refused. MC officials feel it was not an MC’s event, thus public funds could not be spent on it.