Latest news with #Administrator'sAdvisoryCouncil
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Chandigarh's new environment panel holds first meeting, focuses on pollution control and sustainable practices
Major environmental challenges in Chandigarh, including air and water pollution, solid and biomedical waste disposal, sewage treatment, were the key issues discussed during the first meeting of the Environment Standing Committee of the Administrator's Advisory Council, Chandigarh, held at Paryavaran Bhawan, Sector 19, on Monday. The meeting was chaired by Gian Chand Gupta, former speaker of the Haryana Legislative Assembly. The meeting was convened by the Department of Environment, with its Director Saurabh Kumar welcoming the chairman and committee members. During the session, the committee held wide-ranging discussions on major environmental challenges facing Chandigarh, including air and water pollution, solid and biomedical waste disposal, sewage treatment, management of natural choes, and the ban on single-use plastic. Members explored both short- and long-term measures to improve the city's environmental footprint. The committee emphasised eco-friendly practices, recommending steps such as rainwater harvesting, installation of recharge wells, and the promotion of energy-efficient technologies across sectors. Gupta called for identifying gap areas in air, water, and noise pollution, and urged members to recommend concrete, department-specific actions to be reviewed in subsequent meetings. He also underlined the importance of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) strategies, proposing that a city-wide action plan be created in collaboration with schools, Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), industries, and market associations. The committee also proposed using public address systems at traffic lights and roundabouts to spread awareness messages about environmental protection, ensuring broader community participation. While agreeing that penalties and challans are necessary deterrents for environmental violations, the committee also recommended incentivising positive environmental actions by individuals and groups to encourage sustainable living across all sections of society. To ensure effective monitoring and on-ground assessment, the chairman instructed the Department of Environment to organise field visits for committee members and concerned officials. The committee also flagged the urgent need for scientific e-waste management and preventing the discharge of untreated sewage into natural water bodies, calling for strict enforcement of treatment protocols and environmental norms, a UT official said.
Indian Express
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Restructure of sub-committees under Administrator's Advisory Council: Tewari seeks H S Lucky's appointment in his place as head of heritage sub-committee
Senior Congress leader and Member of Parliament from Chandigarh (MP), Manish Tewari, has written to Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria, requesting that Harmohinder Singh Lucky, president, Chandigarh Territorial Congress Committee (CTCC), be appointed as the chairperson of the Sub-Committee on Art, Culture, Tourism and Heritage Preservation in his place. In his letter, Tewari expressed concern over the 'political imbalance' in the composition of chairpersons for the newly constituted sub-committees under the Administrator's Advisory Council. He pointed out that while presidents of various political parties in Chandigarh have been appointed as chairpersons of different sub-committees, Lucky has only been made a member — not a chairperson — which he described as a 'serious anomaly.' The MP emphasised that ideally, such committees should be headed by domain experts with proven credentials in their respective fields. However, since political appointees are being made chairpersons, he argued that all major political parties in the city should be represented fairly. 'There is no dearth of experienced and talented people in Chandigarh who possess deep expertise in their fields. Ideally, such domain experts should be heading these committees,' Tewari wrote, adding that the current structure does not reflect equitable representation. Expressing concern, Tewari wrote 'seven out of ten chairpersons belong to one political dispensation only,' referring to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), raising questions about whether the appointments were 'inadvertent or deliberate.' The Chandigarh Administration on July 11 restructured its governance framework by forming 10 standing committees under the Administrator's Advisory Council. These committees include professionals, experts, and public figures from a variety of fields. However, the dominance of BJP-affiliated appointees in chairperson roles has drawn criticism from opposition leaders. Tewari urged Kataria to reflect on the matter in the spirit of fairness and to uphold propriety in the advisory structure, especially given his vast political and administrative experience.
Indian Express
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
BJP gets greater chunk in key standing committees under Chandigarh Administrator's Advisory Council
With the BJP getting a lion's share, the Chandigarh Administration has restructured its governance framework by forming 10 standing committees under the Administrator's Advisory Council. The newly constituted panels aim to strengthen policymaking and provide subject-specific recommendations to the UT Administrator. A significant tilt towards the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is evident in the appointments, with seven out of the ten committee chairpersons are from the party. The BJP's Chandigarh unit chief Jatinder Pal Malhotra will head the committee on education, joined by members such as Panjab University Vice-Chancellor Renu Vig and Chandigarh Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla. Senior BJP leader and former Haryana Assembly speaker Gian Chand Gupta has been appointed to lead the Environment Committee, which also includes Urvarshi Gulati, ex-chief secretary of Haryana. Dr Raj Bahadur, director, Regional Spinal Injury Centre, Mohali, will chair the health committee. Prominent members of this panel include former Chandigarh MP Kirron Kher and PGIMER Director Dr Vivek Lal. Congress MP Manish Tewari has been named chairman of the committee on art, culture, tourism, and heritage preservation. Other key members of this panel are Congress Chandigarh president H S Lucky, ex-mayor Devesh Moudgil, and Director of the North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala, Mohammad Furqan. Rajya Sabha MP Satnam Singh Sandhu has been tasked with leading the committee on law and order, which includes former AAP mayor Kuldeep Kumar among its members. Senior BJP leader Sanjay Tandon, who also heads the UT Cricket Association, will chair the sports committee. In a notable appointment from the AAP, its city unit president Vijay Pal Singh will lead the committee on transportation. His team includes legal expert Chetan Mittal. Former mayor and BJP leader Anup Gupta will head the urban infrastructure and planning committee, while Additional Solicitor General Satya Pal Jain will chair the social welfare committee. BJP's Subhash Chawla has been appointed to lead the peripheral area development committee. These committees will function for the duration of the current term of the Administrator's Advisory Council. Notably, no travel allowance or daily allowance (TA/DA) will be provided to members for attending committee meetings. Congress accuses UT administration of bias The Chandigarh Congress has lashed out at the UT administration over the constitution of standing committees, terming the process 'deeply partisan' and 'pro-BJP'. The party alleged that the nominations were finalised by the Administration as though 'sitting inside the BJP office.' Rajiv Sharma, chief spokesperson of the Chandigarh Congress, condemned the move, saying that the committees were formed not to serve the people but to fulfill the political ambitions of BJP leaders. 'It is shocking that such arbitrary and brazen favoritism has come from someone as seasoned as Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria,' Sharma said in a statement. He further alleged that Congress city president H S Lucky was unfairly denied chairmanship of any of the ten committees, despite his significant political role in the city. Similarly, MP Manish Tewari, who was entrusted with the committee on art, culture, tourism and heritage preservation, was deliberately assigned a relatively less impactful portfolio, he claimed. 'Tewari has been relentlessly working to restore the glory of the 'City Beautiful', which has been systematically eroded under the BJP-led Municipal Corporation and administration since 2014. By sidelining him and Lucky, the administration is clearly attempting to obstruct Congress's public-centric efforts,' Sharma said. He urged the administration to stop functioning as an extension of the BJP and instead begin reflecting the democratic will of the people. 'The residents of Chandigarh gave a clear mandate in the recent Lok Sabha elections by rejecting the BJP. It's time the administration acknowledged this and ensured real public representatives have a meaningful role in the city's governance,' Sharma added.
