BJP says Bhagwant Mann’s residence fined Rs 10,000 for littering, CM office denies

The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation on Saturday morning issued a challan, imposing a fine of Rs 10,000 for littering on a residence purported to belong to the CM in Chandigarh’s Sector 2.

Issued in the name of CRPF Battalion DSP Harjinder Singh (the CRPF manages a part of the security), the challan mentioned the address of the violator – House No. 7, Sector 2, Chandigarh. The CRPF manages a part of Mann’s security detail.

A spokesperson of the chief minister’s office, however, said that no such challan has been issued. The challan is issued to House No. 7 in Sector 2, which is currently with a paramilitary force, and is not associated with the chief minister, the spokesperson added.

Speaking to The Indian Express later, local BJP councillor Mahesh Inder Singh Sidhu said, “It is just like you say that the bedroom is yours but you disassociate yourself with the security staying in the drawing room.”

Sidhu said that daily, waste was being dumped on the roadside near the gate and boundary wall of House No. 7. He added that he had been getting complaints for a year now. House numbers 44, 45, 6 and 7 are all part of the Punjab chief minister’s residence, Sidhu said.

“I was repeatedly getting complaints from Sector 2 residents regarding littering by the staff and visitors of the Punjab chief minister’s residence since last year. Despite numerous requests and warnings by our sanitation staff, the littering continued and ultimately this challan was issued,” Sidhu said.

“I hope they will maintain cleanliness now. The chief minister is supposed to set a good example for the state to follow but here his own official house is not in order,” he added. “The waste being dumped was spoiling the cleanliness of Sector 2.”

Chandrika Budhiraja, a resident of Sector 2, who lives right behind House Number 2, told The Indian Express, “This has been happening for almost a year. Waste is dumped outside by the men in the security detail of Punjab Chief Minister who live in the compound. I really wish that the Chief Minister takes notice of this issue because the compound is being used by his security. They cook food and then dump all the waste at the back of the house.”

Ashish, the sanitary Inspector of the Chandigarh civic body who issued the challan, confirmed, “The challan has been issued in the name of the CRPF battalion DSP.”