Chandigarh civic body rejects proposal on entry fee for public parks

CHANDIGARH: The MC panel, which was constituted to enhance revenue generation of the civic body, rejected the MC’s horticulture wing’s proposal of entry fee at major gardens or green belts in the city on Tuesday.
The decision was taken in a meeting, which was attended by members of the committee, including councillors Rajesh Kumar, Anil Kumar Dubey, Mahesh Inder Singh Siddhu, Satish Kumar Kainth, Ajay Dutta and MC additional commissioner Anil Kumar Garg, MC’s superintending engineers Sanjay Arora and Krishan Pal Singh.

The MC’s horticulture wing in its proposal had submitted, “An entry fee between Rs 10 and Rs 20 at these places will increase our revenue. Entry fee can be charged at Fragrance Garden, Sector 36; Rose Garden, Sector 16; Shivalik Garden, Manimajra; Japenese Garden, Sector 31; and Valley of Animals, Sector 49, and others.”
Meanwhile, the committee also recommended that doorto-door waste collection charges may be implemented in villages recently merged into the municipal corporation. Besides, the committee members also recommended that a proposal be prepared about regularisation of water connection to residents outside lal dora and amendment in water bylaws.
The members also recommended that government institutions be included in addition to the public for one-time settlement of water bill defaulters with suggestions of relaxation @ 10% for one-time payment, relaxation @ 7% for two installments and relaxation @ 5% for three installments. The committee also recommended creating awareness among the masses about the schemes.
The recommendations will now be sent to the general house for further discussion and taking a final decision on the agenda items.