Citizens' welfare association demands municipal action on garbage charges and community centre access

Time of India

19 hours ago

Panchkula: A delegation from the Citizens' Welfare Association (CWA), Panchkula, met with municipal commissioner RK Singh to submit two memorandums addressing serious civic concerns.
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The delegation raised objections to the "unauthorised" garbage charges being levied by the MC through property tax bills.
"The increase in garbage charges is not only illegal and illogical, but also a cheating practice. Most residents who overpaid last year have neither received refunds nor any adjustments," said SK Nayar, president, CWA.
"Official booklets issued during the tenure of former speaker and MLA Gyan Chand Gupta clearly stated that garbage collection from households was to be a free service, backed by a Rs 2.1 crore investment in vehicles and equipment.
Public statements were also made by him affirming that residents were only responsible for segregating garbage, not paying for its collection," said the delegation.
CWA demanded that MC should stop collecting charges from residents who do not use the service or who rely on private garbage collectors due to irregular or inconvenient MC operations. Residents in upper floors, senior citizens, patients, and working couples often face difficulty managing garbage due to inconsistent MC van timings, which they allege frequently operate after 2 pm or skip days altogether.
The second memorandum addressed the lack of access to community centres. Many centres across Panchkula sectors have been occupied by govt departments, leaving local residents without essential space for events or gatherings. The CWA urged the MC to ensure fair allocation of rooms for RWAs and senior citizen groups; provide exemptions from charges for small functions like birthdays or condolence meetings; and review the current online booking system, which they claim is ineffective and inconsistent.
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Concluding the meeting, the delegation demanded that no garbage charges be collected until the service is made reliable and efficient. They also called for immediate refunds of excess fee charged in the previous year and complementary room allotments for community use.