Tensions flared within the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as its own councillors, including Senior Deputy Mayor Kanwarjeet Singh Rana, displayed reservations toward an agenda item regarding the reduction of garbage collection charges for industries during a recent meeting.
The agenda found its way into the House meeting following a representation by the Joint Forum of Chandigarh Industries to Mayor Anup Gupta, who also happens to be a BJP councillor.
Presently, the garbage collection charges for small and cottage industry workshops, spanning an area of up to 1 Kanal, stand at Rs 1,000 per month. For godowns and cold storage units within the same area limit, the monthly charge is Rs 2,000.
The proposed changes in the agenda sought to reduce the charges for small and cottage industry workshops to Rs 150, and for godowns and cold storage units to Rs 300.
Chandigarh is home to at least 3,457 small and cottage industry workshops and godowns. The strongest opposition to this agenda came from Senior Deputy Mayor Kanwarjeet Singh Rana, a BJP councillor himself. Rana questioned the plea by industrialists, who earn substantial annual profits, to waive off a mere Rs 3,000 in garbage charges. He asked, “If these individuals won’t pay the charges, then who will?”
Rana further questioned the fairness of such a move and inquired whether only the common citizens were responsible for paying taxes in Chandigarh. He expressed his disagreement with the proposal, stating, “If the House intends to reduce the charges, it should do so for villagers, colony residents, and the economically disadvantaged, not for industrialists.” His stance left many councillors taken aback.
A few Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillors, including Prem Lata and Damanpreet Singh, also opposed the agenda.
Sources revealed that the agenda was included for discussion only due to the representation made by certain members of the Joint Forum of Chandigarh Industries. Surprisingly, not a single BJP councillor voiced support for the reduction of garbage collection charges for industrialists.
Municipal Corporation officials warned that if charges were reduced for such industries, the civic body would incur an annual loss of Rs 3.46 crore (3, 46, and 35,600). Currently, the civic body collects Rs 28.86 lakh (28, 86,300) per month through these charges.
As councillors raised their concerns about the agenda, MC Commissioner Anindita Mitra explained that every civic body must report its earnings from garbage collection charges and the amount spent on city cleanliness to the central ministry. She emphasized that any deterioration in the ratio of earnings to spending could impact the city’s ranking in the Swachh Survekshan (urban sanitation and cleanliness survey). Furthermore, opposition party councillors, including AAP and Congress members, objected to the presence of recently appointed Chandigarh BJP chief Jatinder Pal Malhotra in the officers’ gallery during the House meeting. The mayor later clarified that a valid pass had been issued to Malhotra, permitting his attendance. Gupta also assured that the presidents of all opposition parties would be invited to observe House meetings henceforth.
