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Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Local govt dept writes to Mohali Commissioner, seeks action report on boundary expansion
In the long-pending issue of boundary expansion of Mohali, the Punjab government's Department of Local Government has issued a letter to the Mohali Municipal Commissioner, directing an immediate submission of the action report related to the boundary expansion process. The letter, a copy of which was shared to The Indian Express, comes a week after Mohali Deputy Mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi warned the Punjab government that if a decision to expand the boundaries is not taken within a month, he will approach the high court. The proposal for expanding the municipal limits was approved nearly four years ago during the Congress government. Notably, even then, Amarjit Singh Jeeti Sidhu was serving as the Mayor of the city. Areas such as Balongi, Baliyari, Badh Majra, TDI City, Sectors 90, 91, 82 and others were proposed to be brought under the Municipal Corporation's (MC's) jurisdiction. However, the process came to a halt following the Aam Aadmi Party's rise to power in 2022. The delay prompted social activist Ram Kumar to file a civil writ petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The high court had directed the Punjab government to take a final decision by May 25. Although the government submitted an affidavit in the court, no concrete steps have been taken so far. In his letter dated May 26, he expressed displeasure over the government's inaction, stating that 'despite repeated correspondence and sufficient passage of time, no action has been taken'. He warned that he would move court with a contempt of court petition and even consider filing a defamation suit against the department. Taking note of the seriousness, the department has now instructed the Municipal Commissioner to urgently submit a report. The letter specifically refers to the legal notice issued by Ram Kumar and emphasises that since the matter is sub-judice, the report must be sent without delay. Speaking to The Indian Express, social activist Ram Kumar said, 'I have continuously attached copies of High Court orders with my representations, but the government has remained silent. Now I am left with no option but to file for defamation'. When contacted, Mohali Municipal Commissioner Parminder Pal Singh confirmed awareness of the matter. 'This issue is under active consideration, and we will be responding to the department's letter very soon,' he stated.
Hindustan Times
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Deputy mayor meets guv, seeks PU-affiliated college for Mohali
Municipal corporation deputy mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi on Wednesday submitted two memorandums to the governor of Punjab, Gulab Chand Kataria, urging immediate intervention on two key civic issues: higher education access and public transport infrastructure in Mohali. Deputy mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi (HT File) In his first memorandum, Bedi demanded for the establishment of a college or a regional centre affiliated with Panjab University (PU) in Mohali. Highlighting the city's rapid development and its strategic location as a pivotal part of the tricity, Bedi expressed concern that Mohali still lacks a PU-affiliated institution, describing it as a serious gap in accessible and quality education for local students. Bedi urged the governor to facilitate the creation of such an institution in Mohali and called for a review of the existing 85:15 quota system between Chandigarh and Punjab students. He proposed the formation of a joint committee comprising representatives from the UT administration and the Punjab government to devise a fair and sustainable solution. He also recommended naming the proposed centre after former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, a distinguished alumnus of PU. In the second memorandum, Bedi drew attention to the urgent need for a dedicated 'Greater Mohali City Bus Service'. He pointed out that while Mohali continues to expand into areas like TDI City, Aero City, Dhelpur, and Kurri, public transport remains confined largely to Phases 1 to 11. Currently, only 21 out of 69 approved routes are operational under the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU). Bedi stressed that improved bus connectivity would ease public commuting, protect the environment, conserve fuel, and increase government revenue. He also highlighted that important landmarks like the Baba Banda Singh Bahadur War Memorial remain inaccessible to the general public due to the lack of transport. The governor reportedly responded sympathetically and immediately issued directions to the PU vice-chancellor and the Chandigarh finance secretary for a follow-up action.
Time of India
13-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Deputy mayor threatens protest if land for waste disposal not allotted in 15 days
1 2 3 Mohali: Amid the escalating garbage crisis in Mohali, deputy mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi on Friday issued a stern ultimatum to the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (Gmada), demanding that land be allocated for waste disposal within the next 15 working days. Failing this, he warned, he would be forced to stage a sit-in protest outside the office of the Gmada chief administrator. During a meeting with Gmada chief administrator Vishesh Sarangal, Bedi submitted a letter stressing the urgent need for land to dump municipal waste. He said Sarangal assured him of prompt action following a report from Gmada's chief engineer. In his letter, Bedi highlighted the severity of the situation. He noted that the municipal corporation had previously used a dumping site near Phase 8B, which was shut down over a year ago following court orders. Since then, uncollected waste has been accumulating across the city, putting immense pressure on RMC collection points and creating unsanitary conditions, particularly in areas like Shahi Majra and Judge Colony in Sector 77. Bedi also alleged that garbage from Gmada-administered areas, private societies, and neighbouring Balongi is being dumped within the MC's jurisdiction, worsening the crisis. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Dividend Stocks With Strong Ratings Seeking Alpha Read Now Undo In some instances, the waste has even caught fire, posing serious environmental and public health risks. He strongly criticised Gmada, accusing it of earning crores from property sales while neglecting basic civic responsibilities. "The MC doesn't own a single inch of land. Everything belongs to Gmada, yet all the blame for the garbage issue falls on the MC and its councillors. The people of Mohali are bearing the cost of this negligence," Bedi said. The deputy mayor added that he had already written to the chief minister, relevant ministers, and the deputy commissioner, but had received no response. He described this letter as his final warning. "If Gmada fails to act within 15 days, I will launch a protest at its office, and the responsibility for the fallout will lie entirely with Gmada and the Punjab government," he said. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Indian Express
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Mohali deputy mayor demands posting of General Category Commission chairman, writes to CM Bhagwant Mann
Deputy Mayor of Mohali Municipal Corporation, Kuljit Singh Bedi, has written to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, demanding the immediate appointment of a new chairman for the General Category Commission. In his letter, he wrote, 'Just as various welfare boards and corporations are formed for other communities and their chairmen and directors are appointed, similarly, the General Category also faces several issues for which the appointment of a Chairman and members is necessary for redressal.' Deputy Mayor Bedi stated that during the tenure of the Congress government, the 'Punjab State Commission for General Category' was established on December 29, 2021, and Dr Navjot Singh Dahiya was appointed its chairman. However, after the announcement of the Vidhan Sabha elections, the commission's activities came to a halt, and even after three years of the new government, no chairman or member has been appointed, he said. He mentioned that the problems faced by the General Category whether related to students or senior citizens are not being heard anywhere. 'If a chairman is not appointed immediately, this section will continue to be ignored,' he emphasised. He said that the commission was set up by Charanjit Singh Channi's government in 2021, but after the Aam Aadmi Party came into power in 2022, it remained merely on paper. He also said the 'Chief Minister Scholarship Scheme,' started by the Channi government, has also fallen victim to the circumstances. An allocation of Rs 30 crore was made in the 2022-23 budget for this scheme, but no funds were allocated in 2023-24, and the scheme was quietly scrapped. During a Cabinet sub-committee meeting, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Cabinet Ministers Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal and Aman Arora assured to restart the scheme, but no action has been taken so far. Bedi said that despite the government appointing officials for several other commissions and boards, the General Category is still being ignored. He demanded that immediate action be taken in this regard and a chairman be appointed without delay, so that the General Category does not feel disheartened by the government.
