Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit gets additional charge; Badnore works in limbo

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, August 27

Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit has been given the additional charge of the Punjab Governor and the UT Administrator.

“The President of India has been pleased to appoint Purohit, the Governor of Tamil Nadu, to discharge the functions of the Administrator of Chandigarh, in addition to his own duties from the date he assumes charge of the office of the Administrator of Chandigarh, until regular arrangements are made,” said an official statement.

Outgoing UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore had completed a five-year tenure on August 22. However, his several dream projects could not see the light of day.

The much talked about project of having an international shooting range, which was supposed to be developed at Sarangpur, was found non-feasible. After this, Badnore asked officials to look for and explore an alternative site for the shooting range. Later, the UT Administration had sought permission of the Ministry of Environment and Forests to deforest 11 acres in Sector 25 to extend the Patiala Ki Rao shooting range to match it with international standards. Badnore had given the approval to use the land for the shooting range and for related infrastructure in a phased manner.

The fate of his another pet project, India International Centre (IIC), which was to come up at Beant Singh Memorial in Sector 42 on the lines of the Delhi’s IIC and christened as Sardar Beant Singh India International Centre, still hangs in balance.

After failing to get any response to tenders floated to invite firms to establish a vintage car museum at the Government Press Building in Sector 18, the Administration decided to convert the building into an “Air Force Heritage Centre”.

The UT Administration and the Indian Air Force (IAF) today signed an agreement for setting up of the centre, which will showcase IAF vintage aircraft, armaments and memorabilia and other IAF artefacts, including audio-video displays.

Badnore, who himself is a national-level swimmer, inaugurated most number of swimming pools and badminton courts by any Administrator in Chandigarh.