Chandigarh: Less than half councillors attend two-day ₹5-lakh orientation programme

All 35 elected councillors and nine nominated councillors were supposed to attend the event, which concluded on Sunday; but hardly 15 showed up on both days

Even though the municipal corporation spent ₹5 lakh on organising a two-day orientation workshop for councillors, over 10 months after their election last year, less than half of them attended it.

Though Chandigarh mayor Sarbjit Kaur, deputy mayor Anup Gupta and senior MC officials were present, only few elected councillors and newly nominated councillors turned up at the two-day orientation programme. (Keshav Singh/HT)

All 35 elected councillors and nine nominated councillors were supposed to attend the event, which was organised at Rani Laxmi Bai Mahila Bhawan, Sector 38, and concluded on Sunday. But, hardly 15 showed up on both days.

The two-day programme was approved by the civic body’s finance and contract committee in September.

On Sunday, Prashant Pisolkar from Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini, Mumbai, spoke on municipal financial management. Other topics covered included emerging issues in urbanisation, traffic, disposal of trash and water shortage.

But though mayor Sarbjit Kaur, deputy mayor Anup Gupta and senior MC officials were present, only few elected councillors and newly nominated councillors turned up. The orientation programme was organised in association with Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini.

Leader of opposition from AAP Yogesh Dhingra said, “Most of the councillors could not attend the programme as they are busy with Chhath Puja. The workshop was informative, but was not scheduled at the right time.”