After a prolonged break of nearly seven months, the councillors of Ludhiana Municipal Corporation are finally set to convene for a general house meeting on December 26. The session aims to deliberate on a backlog of pending resolutions. However, the meeting is already clouded by controversy as opposition members have strongly objected to the agenda's circulation and content.
Opposition Raises Red Flag Over Agenda and Timing
The primary contention from the opposition benches revolves around the agenda's late circulation. Councillors from the Aam Aadmi Party, Congress, BJP, and Shiromani Akali Dal allege that the detailed agenda was shared at the eleventh hour. This, they argue, leaves them with insufficient time for a detailed scrutiny of the approximately 2,000 resolutions that were previously approved in Finance and Contracts Committee (F&CC) meetings and are now listed for final approval.
Senior Congress councillor and leader of the Congress councillors, Shyam Sunder Malhotra, highlighted a specific concern regarding a proposal to install an additional 6,000 streetlights. He stated that during an all-party meeting convened by Mayor Inderjit Kaur on Tuesday at the Rose Garden camp office, his questions on this proposal did not receive a satisfactory response from the mayor.
Malhotra further alleged that the ruling party was bypassing proper discussion by implementing proposals despite earlier concerns being flagged by the opposition.
BJP Criticises Delay and Process Lapses
Adding to the criticism, the deputy leader of BJP councillors, Rohit Sikka, slammed the civic body for the long delay in holding the house meeting. He pointed out a systemic issue where councillors do not receive F&CC resolutions regularly, making it impossible to manage when a huge batch is sent simultaneously just before a meeting.
Sikka also questioned the civic body's commitment to digital transparency. He alleged that despite claims of moving towards online processes and implementing e-nigam, no concrete steps have been taken in that direction, leading to continued procedural inefficiencies.
Key Proposals on the Table and Missing Items
While the main agenda is packed with pending resolutions, a significant proposal regarding the expansion of city limits is notably absent. Sources indicate that this hot-button issue might still be introduced as a table agenda during the meeting itself.
Some of the key resolutions expected to be taken up for deliberation include:
- Sale of residential plots in Jawaddi Kalan through e-auction.
- Selection of a concessionaire for a Smart LED street and centralised control and monitoring system under the ESCO model, which includes installing additional fixtures.
- Renaming Noorwala Road as Tara Singh Freedom Fighter Road.
- Finalising a draft policy for providing sewerage connections to colonies situated outside the current MC limits.
Hope for a Smooth Session Amidst Tensions
Despite the pre-meeting friction, Senior Deputy Mayor Rakesh Prashar expressed optimism. He noted that the all-party meeting was conducted peacefully and hoped that the general house meeting would also proceed smoothly, with a collective focus on the betterment of Ludhiana city.
The December 26 meeting will be a critical test for the civic administration's ability to manage the house and clear the long-pending proposals that have accumulated over the seven-month gap. All eyes will be on whether the deliberations can overcome the initial objections and lead to productive outcomes for the city's development.
