Tense first meeting of MC marked by protests, demands for accountability

The first general meeting of the Municipal Council (MC) was held on Tuesday at the Panchayat Bhawan, intended as a session for mutual introductions. However, the gathering quickly turned tense, with multiple issues triggering sharp exchanges among the council members.

Council President Veer Shanti Swaroop Valmiki sparked controversy by questioning the installation of streetlights by former councillors, suggesting it was done for personal credit within their wards. The comment drew strong opposition from current councillors Gopi Ram Saini, Ramesh Mehta, Advocate Chanchal Rani and Chandrika Ganeriwala. They argued that the officers and staff should respect the authority of elected representatives and not cater to the directions of defeated candidates. The councillors demanded that the president refrain from supporting such practices. In response, the president apologised, stating that his remarks were not intended to offend.

Tensions rose further when Swaroop announced the cancellation of several ongoing projects. These included projects related to parks handed over to private institutions and the proposed library in F-block meant for underprivileged children. He stated that the space would now be used to construct a community centre, which would be outsourced. The decision sparked further dissatisfaction among the members.

Another flashpoint occurred when the president ordered the removal of certain representatives of councillors from the meeting. Upon their refusal to leave, he directed his security personnel to ensure their exit, which heightened the tension. One councillor even demanded the removal of the president’s personal assistant, who was also present during the proceedings.

Multiple councillors voiced concerns over irregularities in previous development works. Anu Malhotra, councillor from Ward 31, alleged discrepancies in an Rs 80 lakh project at Lovely Park. She claimed that while numerous tasks were shown as completed on paper, only a fraction of the work had been executed. She demanded a thorough investigation. Similarly, Kusum Rani from Ward 23 raised objections about roads being marked as completed in documents without any physical work taking place.

The meeting also addressed several civic issues plaguing the city, including the deteriorating cleanliness system, erratic clean drinking water supply, lack of parking facilities and poor condition of public infrastructure. Councillors emphasised the need for better cleanliness monitoring, construction of women’s toilets in public spaces and urgent repair of drainage and water supply systems.

Despite the heated exchanges, the meeting concluded with a consensus that improved coordination and accountability would be essential for effective governance and execution of future development projects.