Mayor Anup Gupta at loggerheads with Chandigarh on halting non-EV registrations

Sandeep Rana

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Chandigarh, June 23

Taking the UT Administration head on over its “undemocratic” electric vehicle (EV) policy, Mayor Anup Gupta today threatened to sit at the border and stop entry of non-EVs from other states into the city if the decision on halting registration of non-EVs was not rolled back.

Roll back ‘undemocratic’ decision or will sit at border

If undemocratic policy is not rolled back in next few days, we along with traders will sit at border and block entry of non-EVs from other states into city. Anup Gupta, Mayor

The administration is on its way to stopping registration of non-electric two-wheelers from July and non-electric cars by December. It had earlier stopped registration of non-EV two-wheelers from February 10 to March 31.

Addressing a forum of 18 traders’ and residents’ associations at the PHD Chamber of Commerce, Sector 31, here, the Mayor said when the administration officers wanted to implement a policy, they did so without taking public into confidence. On the contrary, when they were opposed to a policy, they cited practices in neighbouring Panchkula and Mohali.

“Why did they not refer to practices adopted in the neighbouring cities with respect to the EV policy? What if a consumer buys a petrol/diesel vehicle from Mohali? If the policy is not reviewed and rolled back in the next few days, we along with traders will block the entry of non-EVs from other states into the city. Why should Chandigarh suffer due to policies formulated by such officers?” he said.

“Officers come on a brief stint from Punjab and Haryana and form policies that make people suffer,” he said. If petrol and diesel vehicles from other states continued to enter the city, how would it become carbon neutral, he questioned. He said entry of vehicles coming from other states be restricted on the lines of Delhi.

The Mayor also came down heavily on the administration over floor-wise sale of properties and charges for building misuse.

“Barring Sectors 1 to 30, as matter is under judicial purview, the administration should start registry of share-wise properties in all other sectors of the city with immediate effect,” he said.

“…after the Act of 1952, under a notification in 2017, the charges of misuse were revised and fixed, but the administration has now sent the issue back to the Cabinet for approval. On what basis was the notification issued in 2017 and why shouldn’t it be declared null and void? The administration should issue an explanation on misuse charges to residents,” he pointed out.

Gupta lamented shifting of international matches from Sector 16 stadium to Mohali and apple mandi from Sector 26 to Panchkula. “What did we do? It’s time to raise our voice,” he affirmed.

Gupta assured the forum of talking up the issues with the administration. If these remained unsolved, he threatened to take to the streets along with traders against the administration.

The Mayor, however, said some issues such as leasehold property and allowing business-to-consumer (B2C) activities in Industrial Area was already being worked out.

Ruing “red tape” in the administration, Naveen Miglani, president, Chamber of the Chandigarh Industries, said: “Citing compliance, UT keeps sending us violation notices over miniscule things.” Charanjiv Singh, president, Chandigarh Beopar Mandal, said: “The authorities have failed to dispose of decade-old vacant booths and are still dragging their feet on the leasehold property issue.

Gupta’s posers to administration

• When UT is opposed to a policy, it cites prevailing practices in Panchkula/Mohali. Why practices in these cities not considered with respect to EV policy?
• If petrol/diesel vehicles from other states enter city, how will it become carbon neutral? Entry of such vehicles be restricted on lines of Delhi
• Punjab/Haryana officers come on brief stint and form policies that make people suffer. Why should UT suffer due to policies formed by such officers?

Register share-wise properties

• Mayor slammed UT Administration over stopping floor-wise sale of properties, besides charges levied for building misuse
• Barring Sectors 1 to 30, UT should start registry of share-wise properties in all other sectors of the city, he said
• Under 2017 notification, misuse charges were revised and fixed, but why did UT send it back to Cabinet for approval, the Mayor questioned