Indian Express 29.09.2010
Mohali MC to discuss plan on Oct 6
Finally, a special meeting of the Mohali Municipal Council (MC) has been called on October 6 to discuss the proposal to upgrade it to Municipal Corporation.
Responding to the requisition served by a group of councillors backed by the Shiromani Akali Dal, the Congress-supported MC president Rajinder Rana has issued agenda to call the House meeting for taking up the proposal already cleared by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.
The issue is likely to generate heated discussion as the Congress-supported ruling group, which is in minority in the present civic body House, is against the government move. It is also against the proposal to include nearby villages and areas of Zirakpur and Banur in the proposed Municipal Corporation.
However, the opposition group, which claims the support of 18 of the total 30 councillors in the MC House, are confident of adopting the resolution to demand Municipal Corporation in Mohali with majority vote even if the ruling group opposed the proposal.
All matters listed in the agenda at the MC meeting held last Thursday were put on hold after the opposition group did not allowed the proceedings as the item of demanding Corporation status to Mohali was not included in the agenda.
While giving a go ahead to upgrade Mohali MC to Corporation, the CM had asked the civic bodies and village panchayats interested to become part of proposed Mohali Municipal Corporation to adopt resolutions and send it to the state government for formal approval.
It was in 1984 when Municipal Council was formed in Mohali but still several parts of the city, including Sector 66, 67, 68, 69 and 74 onwards were not included in the local municipal limits. Spread across 23.84 square km area, the local civic body presently covers Sector 53, 54, 55, 56, 56-A, 61, 63, 57, 58, 59, 60, 62, 64, 65, 70, 71, 72, 73 and parts of Sector 66 and 67. As per the 2001 census, the population under municipal limits was 1,22,232, which has since increased manifold.
According to the proposal, Mohali Municipal Corporation will include entire Mohali city, its adjoining villages Balongi, Barmajra, Sohana, Kumbra, Jagatpura, Zirakpur and parts of Banur.
