Now the matter has been placed before the general house to get these funds out of municipal coffers only. The Chandigarh Administration has turned down the civic body’s demand of providing additional funds of Rs 19.18 crore for renovation and construction of public toilets. Now the MC wants to spend the same amount from own funds.
The civic body said that they took up the matter with the Chandigarh Administration as per decision of House for releasing dedicated funds amounting to Rs 1918.59 lakh for the construction of new 27 toilets and renovation of 236 toilets.
However, the finance and planning officer of Chandigarh Administration said that it wasn’t possible.
“The Finance Department is not in a position to provide additional funds amounting to Rs 19.18 crore for construction of new toilets in green belts and renovation of existing 236 toilets in various markets due to ceiling fixed by Government of India vide letter, dated 08.04.2020.”
Now the matter has been placed before the general house to get these funds out of municipal coffers only.
“The finance required amounting to Rs 19.18 crore may be met from the municipal funds in place of arranging additional dedicated funds from Chandigarh Administration so that further necessary action may be taken to construct new toilets in green belts and renovate 236 existing toilets,” it was stated. In what can be termed another splurging of public money, Chandigarh civic body is all set to spend a total of Rs 38 crore on refurbishment of existing public toilets and construction of new public toilets.
The agenda amounting to Rs 3815.94 lakh for the work of refurbishment of existing public toilets, construction of new public toilets and operation & maintenance of all old and new public toilets in Chandigarh was placed in the 273 meeting of General House for consideration.
In the House it was then discussed that the capital expenditure for 236 existing toilets and 27 new toilets that are to be constructed by MC for which a delegation of councillors under the leadership of the mayor will meet the Administrator of UT Chandigarh and request him to release the funds for this project.
It was said that the operational expenditure will be borne by the Municipal Corporation for those toilets which are not being taken by Market Welfare Association and Residents Welfare Associations for which separate tender will be floated after giving two months’ time to the association.
MC said that it aims that maximum advertisement area available on existing toilets and new toilets to be constructed be increased in consultation with the UT Chief Architect, so that maximum revenue could be generated.
OSD-II has already called the tenders for the advertisements on the existing toilets after approval of terms and condition of tender from the House.
Smart city too has called tenders
Early this year, smart city too had called tenders for spending Rs 4.42 crore on renovation of 38 toilets in four sectors of the city.
Congress councillor Satish Kainth said that already the civic body has wasted Rs 150 crore on renovation, construction and maintenance of the toilets all these years.
“When there were directions to get this work of construction and renovation of toilets through PPP mode to save government funds then why are they doing it?” Kainth asked.