Civic body mulls green tax on commercial vehicles
The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation is mulling to impose a green tax on commercial vehicles of other states entering the city. A panel constituted by the corporation to discuss revenue generation has proposed the idea besides other ways to enhance the income of the corporation, which has been hit by the Covid-19. To review the rates and policy on cable and optical fibre, the maintenance policy of public services, including open-air gyms and children’s play equipment, will be reviewed to curtail any extra expenditure to allow ads on the corporation’s vehicles and properties belonging to the MC will be given on rent.
Polls: Mohali civic body asked to submit details
The Punjab Local Bodies Department has asked the Mohali Municipal Corporation to submit details of all 50 wards with their population by July 30 as it prepares for the elections of the Municipal Corporation and municipal committees. According to the notification, as many as 43 seats are for the general category, including 23 for women and 20 for men, and 2.36 lakh voters are expected to cast their votes in the local body elections. The current term is set to end on April 26. At present, the Congress has 14 councillors, the SAD-BJP combine has 24 and the Azad Group has 10 councillors, while there are two independent councillors in the House. Balbir Singh Sidhu, Cabinet Minister, said, “We are ready for the elections.”
No hostel facility in Chandigarh colleges
There will be no hostel facility for freshers in city colleges for the academic year 2020-21. The admission prospectus, however, mentions that hostels will not be allocated before September 30, 2020, and thereafter, the situation will be reviewed. An official of the education department said considering Covid-19, there were chances that this year there would be less numbers of applications for hostels as compared to last year which was between 35,000 and 40,000. Hostels of all the government and private colleges’ would be opened only after the government’s nod to it.
‘Beggars could be corona spreaders, don’t give money’
The adviser to the Chandigarh administrator has appealed to city residents not to give money to beggars, saying they could be “corona spreaders”. Adviser Manoj Parida said beggars could not be jailed as begging is not a crime.
“Appeal to Chandigarh residents not to give money to beggars who rush to you at traffic points. They could be corona spreaders....We can’t jail them since beggary is not a crime. When put in shelter homes they run away to make money from streets. So simply say NO,” Parida tweeted. The Union Territory of Chandigarh has witnessed a surge in coronavirus infections.
Harpreet Bajwa
Our correspondent in Chandigarh
hsbajwa73@gmail.com