Ending the era of disparity in water and sewerage user charges in different sectors of Mohali, GMADA formally hands over operation and maintenance of water supply and sewerage to Municipal Corporation whereby all sectors in the jurisdiction of Corporation will be charged uniform user charges. The formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed by the XEN’s of both departments, informed Punjab Health and Labour Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu, who is also the legislator from Mohali.This is a matter of huge relief to the natives of Sohana, Kumbra and those of other localities falling in Sector 66 to 69 and sector 76 to 80 who were paying relatively much higher user charges as levied by GMADA. Pertinently, GMADA charges on average Rs .10 per 1000 litres while the Municipal Corporation charges around Rs.1.80 for the same quantity of water. Hence, “This MoU will result in an annual saving to the tune of approximately Rs.7 to 8 crores for the residents of the said localities,” said Balbir Singh Sidhu whose efforts have been instrumental in materializing the handing over.He said that the Congress government under the leadership of Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh was committed to provide all facilities to the people and no stone would be left unturned in the road to development. He said that Mohali is being developed as Model City in terms of development. The developmental works in residential complexes, colonies, markets and parks are in full swing.
Over Rs. 3.5 crore have been spent on internal development of various residential societies. Works worth Rs 60 lac are underway in the HOUSEFED Apartment while another 40 lac have been approved for additional works. Similarly, funds for additional works at Joginder Vihar and Guru Teg Complex have also been approved, he informed and added that Punjab government is the first government to initiate internal development of residential societies. Pertinently, the State Local Bodies Department has passed on instructions to the Municipal Corporation after approving these development works under Section 82 (3) of the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act of 1976.The Minister further informed that open-air gyms are to come up in every big park of the city and resolution has been passed by the Municipal Corporation commence setting up 20 open-air gyms in twenty such parks of the city.He flagged off a tractor and 8 water tankers with the capacity of 4000 litres each from the Municipal Bhawan Mohali. Dedicating water tankers procured at a cost of Rs. 26 lac to the public, he hoped that they will be resourceful to augment the water supply in case of emergency requirement/pipe repair work in city. Tender is to be opened soon and subsequently, by first week of January, the city MC will press into service a huge Pruning machine worth Rs. 33 lac into service. The machine would help in pruning of trees as tall as 65 feet, said he. Besides others, he was accompanied by Kuljit Bedi, Amrik Somal, GS Riar, Victor Niholika Rajesh Lakhotra, Sucha S Kalor, Navtej Bashal, Gurmukh Singh, Kulwinder Sanju,Vaneet Malik and Cherry Sidhu.