MC nod to auction of land for housing project in Manimajra

The General House of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation has approved the terms and conditions for an auction of over 7.5 acres of land for a housing project in pocket number 6 of Manimajra. The auction is likely to generate over Rs 800 crore revenue for the cash-strapped MC.

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The House has also approved the agenda for e-auction of 75 advertisement panels and unipoles for displaying of advertisements in the city. The MC is expecting to get Rs 10 crore revenue annually from the auction of the sites. It has already allotted 22 sites to two agencies.

Raising the issue of the MC’s huge power, BJP councillor Saurabh Joshi sought details for the past four financial years, with a breakdown for MC buildings, including MC office in Sector 17, Medical Officer Health (MOH) Building, Sector-17; tubewells, STPs, MSW plants, etc.

In reply, the MC said Rs 2,54,96,695 was paid in power bills for the MC office building in four years. The MC paid Rs 36,31,697 for poles installed on various roads and parks during the same period, it added.

Joshi said energy audit of all MC buildings must be done to save money spent on electricity. Congress councillor Gurpreet Singh Gabi slammed a proposal on huge hike in Community Centre booking rates and removal of tubewell operators. He said the House had passed a resolution stating that 664 existing tubewell operators employed by the corporation would not be removed. If it was so, how was a new tender allotted, he asked.

On the proposed hike in the booking rates, he said, “If you are going to loot people like this, go ahead and throw chilli powder into their eyes and rob them outright.” Gabi also handed over packets of chilli powder to the Mayor.