Uproar mars first MC meet, agenda passed in 45 sec

The most-awaited first General House Meeting of the Municipal Corporation was held here today amid uproar. The meeting that formally started after 3 pm ended in less than an hour and all agendas were passed in less than 45 seconds while deafening voices filled the hall of Red Cross Bhawan, the meeting venue.

Congress councillors Pawan Kumar and Bunty Nilkanth stole everyone’s attention even before the meeting started as they entered the hall wearing white T shirts with words, “Aurta da 1,000×36 (36,000) kado’ (When will you give the promised Rs 1,000 to women).

Mayor Vaneet Dhir, who was accompanied by Senior Deputy Mayor Balbir Singh Bittu and Deputy Mayor Malkit Singh, started the meeting by addressing the media and councillors and listing the works he has done in last 70 days.

He started, “Manpower, machinery-related problems are there in the corporation and sewage has taken a ‘Vikral roop’. For that, cleaning of main lines using super-suction machines will be done. Grab machines, jetting machines (8 each) will be brought by the MC. To maintain cleanliness on roads, 56 km of main lines in the city will be cleaned using road sweeping machine.”

Kanwar Sartaj Singh, councillor of Ward No. 18 said, “Our responsibility is towards every citizen and we must fulfil basic requirements of all residents. In the agenda, mostly the councillors of ruling party would be benefited,” he said.

110 Baleros to pick garbage

One of the most important points he mentioned on his list was getting 110 Baleros for councillors so that waste from garbage dump could be lifted.

The moment Dhir mentioned that, councillors Pawan, Bunty Nilkanth and Sherry Chadha interrupted him, saying that why was he (Mayor) speaking and why there was no debate on these points as they also had right to raise their points. They all started speaking so loudly that for several minutes, nothing could be heard. Even the agenda got passed in less than 45 seconds amid deafening voices.

Sr Dy Mayor takes a photo dig at councillor

The Senior Deputy Mayor asked them to stop and sarcastically said, “Bass kro, press ne photo bahut krliya. (Now that the media has clicked your pictures, you can now stop behaving like this)” To this, Pawan Kumar replied, “Meri photo bahut vaar aayi hai, tusi pehli vaar aaye ho, tuanu photo di zyada lod hai. (My photos have got published several times. You are new here, you need it more than anyone else).

At the meeting, Dhir kept on saying that he would start zero hour and then the councillors could raise their points, but every argument was snubbed in the chaotic environment.

After the meeting got over and Dhir moved out, a few councillors of the Opposition started raising slogans against the Mayor.

Mayor Dhir also released a statement, saying that when he was trying to tell city residents of the plan he has for them, a few councillors didn’t allow him to speak. “It clearly tells their motive, their real faces have been exposed,” he said.

Women councillors dominate House

Of 85 councillors in the city, 52 per cent are women members and 48 per cent men. Also 68 per cent councillors are first timers.