Resuming the controversial study trip to Goa at Tuesday’s MC House meeting, the majority of councilors not only decided to give it the go-ahead, but even added Mumbai as another destination, increasing its ₹14 lakh is more expensive.
While the agenda before the House was to visit the solid waste treatment plant in Goa; Congress, BJP and SAD advisers convened to add Mumbai to the tour and extended the length of the originally proposed four-day tour to six days, despite opposition from AAP advisers.
The tour, on public funds, will not be the first to study solid waste treatment plants.
Over the past 16 years, advisers have already traveled to Germany, Austria, Italy, Coimbatore, Uttar Pradesh, Mumbai and Ahmedabad to study their progress in waste treatment.
Even Commissioner MC and Chief Engineer had recently visited solid waste treatment plants in different cities including Mumbai.
During the debate on the matter, BJP adviser Kanwarjit Singh Rana suggested, “The tour should have at least one more night in Goa.”
Later, when Congressman Gupreet Singh Gabbi suggested that Mumbai be added to the tour, Rana supported the idea, “We should also visit Mumbai for two nights as the factory is also working efficiently.”
Supporting the tour, BJP adviser Maheshinder Singh Sidhu said, “We are learning a lot from these tours. We should take them positively. Even the media should highlight this issue in this way.
Advisers came up with even more destinations, with Congress adviser Jasbir Singh saying, “We should also think about Singapore.” Another councilor was heard asking for Thailand to be added to the itinerary, while one councilor even asked that their husbands be allowed to accompany them.
AAP says no to the tour
The AAP adviser vehemently opposed the tour proposal. Opposition leader and AAP adviser Yogesh Dhingra said, “Many tours have been undertaken before but no results have come out of them. What good are such visits when a mountain of garbage can still be seen at the Dadumajra landfill? »
Chandigarh AAP President Prem Garg later said, “I will ask the AAP councilors not to go on the tour. Goa is not known for its solid waste management processes. It is a waste of public money. »
Waste treatment solutions already under construction: the head of MC
During the debate, MC Commissioner Anindita Mitra informed the House that IIT Ropar was at an advanced stage of preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) and a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a new integrated processing plant.
MC in 2021 had awarded the task of preparing a DPR and an RFP for a new integrated solid waste treatment plant to IIT Ropar.
She also shared that the existing solid waste treatment plant in Sector 25 will be upgraded by November this year and will process more than 80% of the daily waste generated in the city.
For the treatment of horticultural waste, a plant will be ready by November, Mitra said, adding that the treatment of sanitary and hazardous waste had already started by private companies.
MC to file FIRs against illegal street vendors
After complaints from MC councilors against unauthorized street vendors operating in their neighborhoods, the civic body decided not only to issue challans against offenders, but also to file FIRs against them. City Commissioner Anindita Mitra instructed enforcement staff in this regard at the MC House meeting.
Councilors from all parties raised serious allegations at the meeting against law enforcement personnel and criticized MC for failing to control the threat of unauthorized street vendors across the city.
During the debate, AAP advisers raised questions about the attitude of law enforcement wing officials. Congressional and AAP advisers have also accused MC staff of extorting street vendors and inciting them to set up illegal establishments.
Congressman Sachin Galav said, “The area around PGI, PEC and Sector 11 has a large number of illegal vendors. In one case, three people created their establishments using a single license.
A stir was seen early in the meeting when congressional aides raised the issue of cows with lumpy skin disease being left on the roads by their owners. Congressman Gurpreet Singh Gappi said, “We are doing nothing to stop owners from neighboring states who leave cows with Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) in the city.
Mitra said that every precaution was taken in the city’s gaushalas to protect the cows from the disease and that they received proper treatment. BJP adviser Kanwar Rana said a committee should be formed to take an appeal on the issue.
Soon after, AAP and Congress advisers accused the BJP of alleged corruption in awarding the road sweeping contract in the southern sectors to Lions Company Limited. AAP advisers demanded termination of the contract.
Over 77,000 square feet encroached by Punjab, Hry CM Residences: MC
The Punjab Chief Minister’s residential compound encroached on more than 35,000 square feet of MC land and the Haryana Chief Minister’s residential compound on another 42,000 square feet.
MC submitted these details to the MC General House in response to a question from BJP Advisor Maheshinder Singh Sidhu.
According to MC’s response, the Punjab CM residential complex encroached on the V-5 road with iron gates, about 10,000 square feet of black surface on the V-5 road and 8,000 square feet of road berm/ path. The encroached land also includes 17,820 square feet of black-roofed V-6 road surface.
On Sidhu’s question about the encroachments made by Haryana CM residential compound, MC said that he also encroached on the V-5 road with iron gates. In addition, 12,000 square feet of black upper area of the V-5 road was encroached. Approximately 10,200 square feet of road/trail berm and the sides of house numbers 20 and 32 were blocked off with an iron gate and fencing.
Demanding action against encroachments, Sidhu said: “If the public puts a single tent on a trail, it is removed in no time, but here entire green belts are being encroached. The Punjab CM helicopter lands and takes off from Rajendra Park, which is cordoned off for it, while the Haryana CM lands at Chandigarh airport.
Sidhu also claimed that MC’s response to his questions was not complete. “I had also asked about encroachments in green spaces. The commissioner asked the relevant officials to provide the information at the next meeting of the House,” he said.
