Chandigarh, May 29:
Punjab Local Government Minister Dr. Ravjot Singh announced the upgrade of Municipal Council Zirakpur to Corporation status soon during his early morning visit to Zirakpur on Thursday.
Highlighting the need for stronger governance due to rapid urban expansion, Dr. Ravjot Singh stressed that a larger and more empowered local body is essential to effectively manage civic amenities such as drinking water supply, sewage treatment and cleanliness. He urged MLA Kuljit Singh Randhawa to submit a formal proposal through the Municipal Council to the Department of Local Government so the process can begin promptly. The Minister confirmed that the transition will be implemented from the upcoming Municipal Corporation elections in Zirakpur.
The Cabinet Minister, who was there in the early hours to inspect cleanliness and other civic amenities, expressed dissatisfaction over the uncleanliness and ordered to set the house in order by enhancing the number of sanitary workers.
Expressing concern over the choked Sukhna Choe, which also carries liquid waste from the Chandigarh side, Dr. Ravjot Singh directed the Municipal Council to take immediate measures to clean it with the help of the Drainage Department before the rains. He also urged the residents not to dump waste in the choe that will cause floods by blocking the flow. He also inspected the Furniture Market area of Baltana.
The Cabinet Minister announced that a high-level bridge on Sukhna Choe at Baltana at a cost of Rs.5.96 crore is upcoming soon to ease out the locals from overflow during monsoon seasons when the choe swells.
The Minister inspected, Old Kalka Road, Dhakauli and reviewed the cleanliness operations, instructing local body officials to hire extra manpower for complete cleaning of the city. He said that the unsightly appearance of the roads and streets is not a good and healthy sign for the community.
Responding to another query on upcoming Sewage Treatment Plants, the Cabinet Minister said that two STPs, one of 47 MLD and another of 37 MLD (Million Litres per day) are being installed soon. The site for 47 MLD has been identified at Sanauli and handed over to the Water Supply and Sewerage Board, while for the other 37 MLD plant, site selection is underway and will be finalized shortly.
When the issue of storm sewer coming from Panchkula causing trouble in the Peer Muchhalla Area was raised by MLA Kuljit Singh Randhawa, Dr. Ravjot Singh directed the state heads of the local government department to take up the matter with the concerned authorities of the neighbouring state to resolve it at the earliest.
Interacting with media persons, Local Government Minister Dr. Ravjot Singh, while reaffirming his commitment to provide required civic amenities to the urban population of Punjab, said that as per the directions of Punjab Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, the State Government is keen to address the problems being faced by residents and the responsibility of local officers would be fixed in case of any laxity. He said that officers are duty-bound towards the locals and they must spend a few hours from their daily duty to take stock of ground realities. The Minister also assured to introduce reforms to reduce traffic congestion in the town.
He was accompanied by Additional Chief Secretary Tejvir Singh and Director Gurpreet Singh Khaira of the Local Government Department besides Deputy Commissioner Komal Mittal, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Urban Development) Anmol Singh Dhaliwal, Executive Officer Jagjeet Singh Judge and officers from the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board.
