Areas merged with Solan MC await better basic amenities

Ambika Sharma

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Solan, March 30

More than two years have passed since certain areas of eight panchayats were merged with the Solan Municipal Council to upgrade it as Municipal Corporation (MC), but residents are still waiting for the civic amenities to improve.

A population of 8,162 was added from eight peripheral panchayats to the Solan Municipal Council in October 2020. These eight panchayats — Anji, Kotho, Chambaghat, Saproon, Padag, Basal, Salogra and Kather — are yet to benefit from the merger.

A visit to the merged areas like Basal revealed that shoddy patch work done on roads. Door-to-door garbage collection is yet to be started. Even water supply is being managed by the Jal Shakti Department as before the merger.

The Public Works Department is no longer repairing roads, while the MC has little funds for road repairs.

“The MC has failed to provide basic facilities to residents as there is shortage of staff and funds. Upgrading of Municipal Council to Municipal Corporation has served no purpose,” said Manish, a Basal resident.

Earlier, residents were provided three-year tax exemption in 2020 at the time of the merger of the rural areas with the MC. This exemption was given as residents had opposed the merger due to levy of new taxes.

Residents want door-to-door garbage collection, regular water supply, parking areas, parks and improved roads. The state government is yet to provide funds for such facilities in the merged areas.

A sum of Rs 1 crore was sanctioned to each newly created MC in 2020. This fund was to be utilised for various works. But, no specific amount was set aside for development in the rural areas.

Rajeev Kaura, Deputy Mayor, Solan, Municipal Corporation, said the power infrastructure would be improved, sewage lines laid and regular water supply would be provided in the merged areas. The government had been asked to provide funds for

the purpose, he said.

Meanwhile, the Director, Urban Development, Manmohan Sharma, said Rs 2.5 crore had been approved for the three news Municipal Corporations of Solan, Mandi and Palampur. He said the amount would soon be released to the civic bodies for various development works.