Chandigarh residents find e-Sampark centres shut, fume

Deepankar Sharda

tribune news service

Chandigarh, May 11

The decision of the UT Administration, which was taken at the eleventh hour, to reopen e-Sampark centres from May 18 has left many residents red-faced.

Earlier, the Administration had announced to resume public dealing in local government offices and e-Sampark centres from May 11.

If they were to take a decision, they should have taken it a day before the previously announced date. We were queued up since morning and later came to know that the centre will remain closed till May 18 — Ripupreet Singh, Sector 23 resident

When many local residents reached e-Sampark centres today to pay electricity/ water/telephone bills, they were shocked to learn that the centres were closed.

Later in the day, the Administration issued a notification that all local public offices, including e-Sampark, will be opened from May 18. “After reviewing the situation, the UT Administration has now decided that public dealing in local offices will resume from May 18 (instead of May 11). The offices will continue to function by maintaining proper hygiene, social distancing and sanitisation,” stated the circular issued today. It added, “The e-Sampark Centres will reopen from May 18 (forenoon).” In an order dated May 3, the UT Administration had stated: “All government offices will be open from May 4 and strict social distancing norms would be followed. However, no public dealing will be done till May 11. The e-Sampark centres will be open from May 11.”

Residents said the Administration should have taken the decision earlier and informed accordingly, instead of doing all formalities today. “If they were to take a decision, they should have taken it a day before the previously announced date. We were queued up here since morning and later came to know that the centre will remain closed till May 18,” said Ripupreet Singh, a Sector 23 resident. Same was the case at the Sector 35 and Sector 22 centres where people queued up since morning. “The staff members were not present at the centre, whereas people were sitting outside the arena. We were kept under the impression that the centre will open around 12 noon. If the staff members were aware about its closing, the same should have been told to the public in advance,” said Kapilesh Kumar, a Sector 22 resident.