Encroachments, waste dumping in open dominate Shimla MC meeting

Shimla, December 26

Issues such as encroachments by vendors in different wards, the threat posed by dangerous trees, waste dumping in the open by panchayats, among others, were discussed during the Shimla MC House meeting held on Tuesday.

Vending panel soon, says commissioner

• MC Commissioner Bhupender Attri assured the councillors that a town vending committee would be constituted and all vendors operating without licence/permission removed
• He said new vending zones would be allotted while keeping in mind their holding capacity and inconvenience caused to people in different wards. Illegal makeshift structures would also be removed.

After a councillor raised the issue of encroachment, many other councillors echoed the same concern, saying that public places, roads, steps and even drains had been encroached upon by vendors, who neither had licence nor permission.

The councillors said the mobility of vehicles and pedestrians was affected by the menace. Moreover, they said, other vendors who operated legally objected to such encroachments. The number of vendors operating illegally had been increasing in many wards lately, said the councillors.

Shimla MC Commissioner Bhupender Attri assured the councillors that a town vending committee would be constituted and all vendors operating without licence/ permission would be removed. He said new vending zones would be allotted while keeping in mind their holding capacity and inconvenience caused to people in different wards after due consultation with the respective councillor. The commissioner said illegal makeshift structures would also be removed.

On the axing of fallen dry trees and lopping, the Mayor said he had sought the approval for removal of these trees from the state government.

The issue of pending construction work of ambulance roads was also raised during the meeting. Regarding the construction of new community centres, councillors said rooms were a basic requirement along with these centres, so they should also be built.

There has been a long-pending demand of fencing the solid waste management plant in the Bhariyal area and a proposal for this work was approved administratively. A budget of Rs 50 lakh has already been earmarked for it. Approvals for other construction works were also given during the meeting.

The issue of garbage dumping or littering on roads/public areas by residents living in panchayat areas surrounding the Municipal Corporation limits was also raised by councillors. Mayor Surinder Chauhan said these panchayats could be asked to pay the MC Rs 200 on a monthly basis per house for garbage collection.

The councillors demanded that senior officials of different departments should pay field visits to oversee the ongoing developmental works/projects for better co-ordination with them and for the expeditious completion of works. The issue of muck dumping in open areas was also raised by councillors. They demanded that it be removed on priority basis by the contractors concerned, failing which their payments be withheld.

Councillors stated that roads damaged during the rain-induced disaster in many areas had not been repaired till now. The Mayor and the Commissioner assured the councillors that the corporation was working on the issues raised by them and those would be resolved on priority.