Councillors make mockery of Rs. 60,000 of taxpayers’ money at special meet
Hillary Victor, Hindustan Times Chandigarh, November 20, 2014
First Published: 15:06 IST(20/11/2014) | Last Updated: 15:09 IST(20/11/2014)
Aimed at discussing Sunday car baazar policy in Sector 7, the
special municipal corporation (MC) meeting on Wednesday was far from
that with councillors catching forty winks, chatting on mobile phones
and exchanging gossips rather than debating on the matter.
To begin with, the meeting started 30 minutes late at 11:30am, that too, with just one Congress councillor, Subhash Chawla. It was deputy mayor Davesh Moudgil, who first started debating the issue, but most councillors, who preferred remaining mum on the issue, found gossiping more interesting that his point of view.
BJP councillor Des Raj Gupta and nominated councillor Dr Amrita Tewari were caught napping, even as Congress councillors Poonam Sharma and Sheela Devi were engrossed in their own talks, while city mayor Harphool Chander Kalyan, who was presiding over the meeting, BJP councillor Arun Sood, senior deputy mayor Heera Negi and independent councillor Gurcharan Dass Kala found talking on phone better use of their time.
Former mayors Subhash Chawla and Pardeep Chhabra were found murmuring jokes.
Sarcasm was common in the meeting.
While discussing the policy, when Congress councillor Subhash Chawla asked where should he sell his old furniture as there was no old furniture market in city, let alone a car bazaar, Arun Sood replied, “Don’t worry Chawla ji, I will buy your old furniture.”
Losing his cool, nominated councillor MP Kohli asked the BJP councillors to keep their mouth shut.
Warning them, he said, “Remember, if you don’t allow us to speak, we will also not allow you to do so in future.”
MC commissioner Vivek Pratap Singh’s repeated requests to councillors to be attentive went in vain.
It is pertinent to mention that the cost of one such MC meeting is around Rs. 60,000. Every councillor gets honorarium of Rs. 500 for attending the meeting, which means Rs. 17,500 for 35 councillors. Money is also spent on stationary, preparing booklets and paying the record-keepers, besides refreshments for the participants.
To begin with, the meeting started 30 minutes late at 11:30am, that too, with just one Congress councillor, Subhash Chawla. It was deputy mayor Davesh Moudgil, who first started debating the issue, but most councillors, who preferred remaining mum on the issue, found gossiping more interesting that his point of view.
BJP councillor Des Raj Gupta and nominated councillor Dr Amrita Tewari were caught napping, even as Congress councillors Poonam Sharma and Sheela Devi were engrossed in their own talks, while city mayor Harphool Chander Kalyan, who was presiding over the meeting, BJP councillor Arun Sood, senior deputy mayor Heera Negi and independent councillor Gurcharan Dass Kala found talking on phone better use of their time.
Sarcasm was common in the meeting.
While discussing the policy, when Congress councillor Subhash Chawla asked where should he sell his old furniture as there was no old furniture market in city, let alone a car bazaar, Arun Sood replied, “Don’t worry Chawla ji, I will buy your old furniture.”
Losing his cool, nominated councillor MP Kohli asked the BJP councillors to keep their mouth shut.
Warning them, he said, “Remember, if you don’t allow us to speak, we will also not allow you to do so in future.”
MC commissioner Vivek Pratap Singh’s repeated requests to councillors to be attentive went in vain.
It is pertinent to mention that the cost of one such MC meeting is around Rs. 60,000. Every councillor gets honorarium of Rs. 500 for attending the meeting, which means Rs. 17,500 for 35 councillors. Money is also spent on stationary, preparing booklets and paying the record-keepers, besides refreshments for the participants.
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