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Chandigarh | Upkeep of 7 public toilets takes a hit as MC, CHB spar over advertising fee
The CHB had allotted contract for running and maintaining of seven public toilets – five at Sector 34, one each at motor markets of Sector 38 (West) and Sector 48 –to JV securities and House Keeping Services in August 2021 in lieu of displaying their advertisements on these blocks. The contract was allotted for five years at a cost of ₹5 crore.
The maintenance of seven public toilets under the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) has taken a hit amid the ongoing tussle between the board and the municipal corporation (MC) over advertisement fees.
The CHB had allotted contract for running and maintaining of seven public toilets – five at Sector 34, one each at motor markets of Sector 38 (West) and Sector 48 –to JV securities and House Keeping Services in August 2021 in lieu of displaying their advertisements on these blocks. The contract was allotted for five years at a cost of ₹5 crore.
But in April this year, the MC removed the advertisement hoardings from the public toilets, stating that these were displayed without the permission of the UT chief administrator, i.e the MC commissioner. It was also alleged that advertisement fee was not paid to the civic body.
Following the action, CHB chief executive officer (CEO) Yashpal Garg wrote to MC commissioner Anindta Mitra, asking her to sort out the issue at the ealiest in larger public interest.
In one of the letters, he mentioned that around two years ago, the issue of advertising on seven public toilets was discussed with the then commissioner MC, who agreed not to go into the technicalities and allowed to continue with advertisements, subject to payment of the applicable fee.
In another letter, the CEO stated that the agency was depositing the advertisement fee regularly from August 2021 and no objection had been received till February 9, 2022. However, sudden arrears of around ₹25 lakh were raised but no calculation sheet was provided as to how this amount was calculated.
It was also alleged that the MC action of tearing down the hoardings came at time when the application for permission was still pending and the civic body was to provide the break-up of the arrears.
In a reply, MC commissioner Mitra said prior permission of the chief administrator has to be taken, as per clause no 4 of the Chandigarh Advertisement Control Act, 1954, but this was done in the said case. She stated that further, the CHB had also failed to recover the advertisement fee from the previous agency which was allotted the contract in 2016 despite several reminders and the calculation sheets provided.
In a meeting with the UT adviser on October 14, the councillors raised the issue of the poor condition of public toilets. The adviser then directed the MC to calculate the amount and send it to the CHB.
As per the records, CHB is suffering a loss of nearly ₹7 lakh a month owing to the waste of advertising space. The agency that was awarded the contract also wrote to the CHB and MC, seeking immediate resolving of the issue while stating that they are unable to maintain the public toilets and are suffering heavy losses.
What they say?
As per the advertisement Act, no advertisement can be displayed without the permission of the chief administrator. The CHB has not taken any permission in the said case. We have now calculated the advertisement fee and will be sending it to CHB this wee.
Anindita Mitra, MC Commissioner
We want the issue to be sorted out as soon as possible in larger public interest. Also, we are suffering a loss of nearly ₹7 lakh a month and even the public is suffering due to poorly maintained public toilets.
A senior officer of CHB
