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Chandigarh administrator’s advisory council meeting: Common PCR for tricity in the works
The Chandigarh administrator’s advisory council meeting was held on Friday, where the setting up of a common police control room for tricity was discussed
A common police control room (PCM) for tricity is in the works and the Chandigarh administration has already approached the neighbouring states, Punjab and Haryana, for setting up the facility. The modalities are being finalised.
The issue was discussed during the UT administrator’s advisory council meeting held here on Friday. The meeting comprised a series of staggered sessions for submission of action-taken reports (ATR) by the administration on the suggestions and decisions of the council’s nine standing committees.
Officials say the common PCR will help control crime and give quicker access to emergency help to residents of the tricity. In the past few years, inter-city crimes have increased and coordination issues between Panchkula, Mohali and Chandigarh Police have exacerbated the problem.
Chandigarh administrator and Punjab governor Banwari Lal Purohit, UT adviser Dharam Pal, senior UT officials and members of respective committees attended the first of its kind meeting, wherein members could evaluate the action taken by the administration on their suggestions.
The administrator highlighted that the council meeting has given them the opportunity to brainstorm and undertake suitable reforms for the development of the city. He asked all officials and members to ensure that all agendas raised in the meeting are taken up seriously and action is taken in a time-bound manner.
He stressed that innovation must be encouraged to provide better opportunities in every field including education, health, skill development and urban planning.
Action-taken presented
Members of the nine standing committees of the advisory council -- education, health, urban infrastructure, social welfare, law and order, sports, transportation, culture and environment gave presentations on the actions taken that are contributing to the development of the City Beautiful.
Key recommendations made by the committee include making Chandigarh a model destination for urban sports, under which facilities for skateboarding and basketball have been created at the football stadium and sports and climbing facilities have been created at the lake complex. The members also apprised the council that the draft sports policy has been prepared and circulated for feedback and suggestions.
The agenda of conversion of properties located in Industrial Area Phases 1 and 2 from leasehold to freehold basis was also discussed and it was informed that the matter that has already been taken up with the Centre. Lowering of charges for additional floor area ratio in industrial plots was also discussed.
A child protection officer has been nominated at every police station under the recommendation of creating a one stop centre comprising councillors, drug experts etc for juveniles committing crimes.
The standing committee on transport listed actions like making roads free from human and animal propelled rickshaws, regulation of auto rickshaw ,and operation of battery operated vehicles for the last mile connectivity etc. The committee on environment highlighted action taken to improve air quality, protection of choes, tertiary treated water, waste management and disposal of carcasses.
The administrator welcomed the constructive discussion and suggestions made by the council and assured that these suggestions would be seriously considered in the course of decision-making. He will be reviewing all the actions taken by the standing committees after three months.
ATR to be submitted every three months
The administrator directed UT officials to hold the ATR meetings every three weeks, so that recommendations of the advisory council can be implemented effectively. The UT adviser will also review the implementation process after one and half months.
The submission of the ATR has been long standing demand of the council members. In first introductory meet of the council, on September 2, after Purohit took over as the UT administrator, the issue of effectiveness of the council again came up. The administrator had assured that steps would be taken to streamline its working including submission of action taken reports so as to make it more effective.
