CHANDIGARH: The UT administration will take a legal advice and act on issues including ban on share-wise properties, misuse penalty notices, one-time scheme for VAT cases and other citizen demands, said Punjab governor and UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria during the Administrator’s Advisory Council (AAC) meeting held on Saturday.
The administrator said a follow-up meeting with the chairpersons of the council’s sub-committees and other key dignitaries to resolve long-standing issues and guide policy decisions will be held.
Senior UT officials will also be present in the meeting and share their response on these issues. The administrator also suggested forming small working groups for in-depth deliberations on the issues for a time bound redressal of the key issues and demands.
Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari also stressed on the need to re-evaluate governance paradigm of the city and giving due role the people’s representatives in the decision making.
In the matter of seeking permission for the floor-wise registries in UT Chandigarh, Tewari said the Chandigarh administration has misinterpreted the judgment of the Supreme Court.
On the suggestion of approaching the apex court on the issue, senior BJP leader Sanjay Tandon said that the administration should decide at its own level on the issue and allow for the share-wise properties. Tandon supported allowing floor-wise registry in the city.
Former Chandigarh MP Satya Pal Jain said provision of apartmentalisation is misused by the property dealers.
Chandigarh Congress president H S Lucky raised the issues of non-implementation of MSME Act in the Union Territory, conversion of leasehold commercial and industrial to freehold. He also strongly demanded the withdrawal of misuse penalty notices being sent to industrial and commercial units.
The demand for a review of the Chandigarh Master Plan was also raised. Council member Pankaj Khanna said, it was high time the Chandigarh Master Plan was reviewed in line with the changing needs and requirements of the city, particularly, master plan provision of ‘urban renewal’ should be worked upon.
Raising the issue of composition and working of the Chandigarh Heritage Conservation Committee, MPS Chawla, president, Chandigarh Industrial Association, said, that it should be re-organised and representation to different sections of society should be given in the committee.
Charanjiv Singh, president, Chandigarh Beopar Mandal, said, “As seven years have passed since end of Vat regime, still notice of crores of rupees are being issued to traders. So, OTS scheme for assessment of old vat cases should be introduced on Punjab Pattern to give relief to traders. It will also give revenue to state.” Chandigarh mayor Kuldeep Kumar said water connections outside the lal dora should be exptended.
