Indian Express 10.12.2009
To make its efforts public, MC ‘inaugurates’ renovated buildings
After renovating the community centre in Sector 35, the Municipal Corporation decided to organise a function to ‘inaugurate’ it. In the function on Monday, the community centre was “dedicated to the area residents”.
In the function, nobody talked about the fact that the community centre was one of the oldest in the city.
Justifying the move, area councillor Harjinder Kaur said the community centre was “never inaugurated earlier” and that “residents should be made aware of the efforts undertaken” by the MC. The MC had spent Rs 43 lakh to provide facilities like gym and library in the community centre.
Similarly, after it was revamped, the Nehru Park was “dedicated to Sector-22 residents” on November 14. Further, the green belt in Sector 35 “was dedicated to senior citizens of the sector” after addition of some facilities.
Of late, several such function have been organised by the MC. And the UT Administration was not far behind
In October, Administrator Gen S F Rodrigues (Retd) ‘inaugurated’ a renovated old block of the UT Guest House. Earlier, in June, a renovated Doll Museum at Bal Bhawan was ‘inaugurated’.
Councillor Pardeep Chhabra said there was no harm in spending a few thousands on a function after spending Rs 40-50 lakh on a project. This, he added, “makes people aware of the corporation’s efforts”. But for very small projects “such functions should be avoided”.
Nominated councillor Dr A P Sanwaria said: “Public money is being wasted on such functions. Lakhs of rupees are spent every year on inaugurating renovated structures. This needs to be curbed.”
