Demand for making agenda of Ludhiana MC’s meetings public ignored

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 18

Though people elect MC councillors from their respective wards in a democratic way, agenda and minutes of the Municipal Corporation’s House and F&CC meetings in Ludhiana are still not being made public on the civic body’s website.

Some activists and members of various NGOs had earlier raised questions and demanded that when the Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh, could share information about such meetings on its official website, why the Ludhiana MC can’t.

They have been demanding for long that the MC, Ludhiana, should also ensure the availability of the agenda and minutes of the meetings on its official website so that city residents could learn about the working of the civic body as well as their elected representatives.

Col JS Brar (retd), a city resident, said: “There is nothing secret in meetings of the F&CC and MC General House. When councillors are elected by people, no information should be hidden from the public. Residents should be informed about the Budget and expenditure on every project and works in the MC.”

He said: “Agendas and minutes of such meetings are not being made public due to corruption in the civic body and bad intentions of some persons.”

Prof Komal Gurnoor Singh, a social activist, said: “We want to know what is being done by the MC for redressal of civic issues in various areas. People want to know what steps are being taken for the development in the city and where the money paid as taxes by city residents is being used for. To ensure transparency and accountability, the MC must share the agenda and minutes of both F&CC and House meetings on its website and display at its offices.”

He suggested that bulletin boards regarding works (with expenditure) done by the ward councillor concerned must be displayed outside his/her office. Also, a committee of residents in every ward should be formed to keep vigil on the working of their elected representative, he added.

Another resident, Jaskirat Singh, said: “We had raised the demand that the agenda and minutes of all MC meetings must be made available on the Ludhiana MC’s website for the public but to no avail.”

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