Mayor claims his maiden GHM will remain peaceful
Sanjeev K Sharma
JAMMU, Dec 15: In his maiden session of General House Meeting (GHM) of Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) as Presiding Officer, the newly elected Mayor, Rajinder Sharma will bring a resolution demanding extension of the tenure of the elected Urban Local Body by two years.
“One more resolution by me will be for the constitution of Tawi River Authority,” the Mayor informed.
He claimed that the two day session starting tomorrow will have discussions on policy matters and not on petty issues like lanes and drains.
“Issues like lanes and drains will be taken up during Question Hour but main stress during the session will be on discussion on drug menace, tourism promotion, water crisis and traffic congestion in the city,” Sharma said adding that stress will be on solutions to the problems and formulation of a vision document.
“Councillors will not talk about a particular pipe leakage in their Ward but will speak on scenario of water supply in the city after 50 years from now to give a new vision,” he maintained, adding: “There is a resolution from my side for constituting 25 Consultative Committees with five Councillors in each as members.”
The Mayor informed that another resolution by him will demand extension of the tenure of elected Urban Local Body by two years as two years of the ongoing tenure were lost in lockdowns triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On opposition making the session stormy, he claimed that the opposition will not raise any issue.
“It will be a peaceful session with entire system of running the House to see a change as the proceedings will now be run by the Secretary JMC, Parvinder Kour and I will preside over and will intervene only when required,” Mayor Rajinder Sharma said.
He also informed that the entire internal layout of the House has been changed to give it the look of Parliament with Treasury Benches separated from the Opposition.
When contacted JMC Commissioner, Rahul Yadav said that the two day GHM will start tomorrow with Mayor, Rajinder Sharma as the Presiding Officer.
“Our job will only be to get the replies to the questions raised by the Councillors in the House,” he informed.
Secretary JMC, Parvinder Kour when contacted said there will be six resolutions, 10 demands and 27 questions in the business of the GHM tomorrow.
She informed that among resolutions by the Mayor was the one regarding constitution of Consultative Committees for doing everything like making bylaws, approval-disposal of building plans, building permissions etc.
“All these works will be done after approval of these Committees (to be constituted) of the JMC Councillors,” Kour said adding that another resolution by the Mayor is that of rotation of reserved Wards after two tenures of the elected body of JMC.
On any disruption of proceedings by the Opposition, Pramod Kapahi, Chief Whip of BJP said they will defend their stand and claimed that JMC is running very progressively as developments under Smart City projects are going on right track.
Deputy Mayor, Baldev Singh Billowria said they have a set agenda of progress.
“We will reply to the queries of the Opposition and will jointly work for the welfare of Jammu people,” he said adding: “We in short tenure have brought many changes in the working of JMC for the welfare of Jammu people.”
Billowria counted removal of paid parking at Super Speciality Hospital in Jammu, regularization of 600 Daily Wagers working with JMC, inauguration of Panjtirthi parking facility and e-parking facility at General Bus Stand Jammu as achievements of JMC in last some days.
He informed that baseless hue and cry was raised for the Property Tax which exists nowhere.
“On the contrary we will work to collect the already existing taxes properly and will not impose new taxes on the people,” he claimed.
It is pertinent to mention here that the new Mayor, Rajinder Sharma and Deputy Mayor, Baldev Singh Billowria assumed their offices on October 21, 2022 after their election by the members of the elected body of JMC.
When contacted, Congress Chief Whip, Dwarka Choudhary said that all the 12 members of Opposition Congress will raise the issues like flooding of Nallahs every year in rainy season because of which the dirty water enters residential houses inflicting damages.
He also said that the issue of failure of sewerage project in Jammu will also be raised along with the issue of lack of parking places in the city.
“Congress members will ask the Mayor and his team why there were no funds and no strategy for the last seven months. We will also ask them about developments under Smart City project which are nowhere in sight and nothing has been done in the outskirt Wards of JMC in this regard,” the Congress Chief Whip said.
Sham Lal Basson, an Independent Councillor said that he along with other Independent Councillors will raise general issues like water crisis, traffic chaos in the city, cleanliness and increasing drugs abuse in Jammu.
“Drainage system in Jammu city is very poor and many areas get polluted water as water supply pipes have not been replaced for the last 70 years,” he maintained.
Another Independent Councillor, Inder Singh Soodan said it is about two months that the new Mayor has taken over but there is no progress in the city.
“Funds have not been made available for payments to the contractors, which in turn has affected developmental works,” he further said.
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