E-Paper
Leh trip not just religious, but cultural too, says Chandigarh senior deputy mayor amid outcry
Under fire from public for wasting public money on councillors’ five-day trip to Leh, MC senior deputy mayor, who planned the trip, has now changed his stand by
Under fire from public for wasting public money on councillors’ five-day trip to Leh, MC senior deputy mayor, who planned the trip, has now changed his stand by claiming that the tour was not just religious in nature, but also involved cultural exchange.
Before leaving with 23 councillors and two MC officials on September 24 for five days, Hardeep Singh, also Shiromani Akali Dal’s Chandigarh president, had told media that they were going to Leh to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Pathar Sahib as part of celebrations for Guru Nanak’s 550th birth anniversary.
However, after completing the gurdwara visit by the first half of Day 2, the group went for excursions around Leh, complete with river rafting and visits to scenic lakes and valleys after hiring tempo travellers.
As residents flayed councillors for wasting public money, Hardeep told HT on Tuesday that the trip was sanctioned both for religious and cultural activities. “There was nothing wrong in councillors exploring the area since both religious and cultural activities were covered in the plan,” he added.
Councillors spent over Rs 11 lakh on the trip, prompting several residential welfare associations to seek recovery of trip expenses from the councillors.
In a letter to Punjab governor-cum-UT administrator, president of Chetna Manch, Satish Khosla said, “On the one hand, people are bearing the brunt of lavish and fruitless expenditures on tours, and on the other hand, MC is burdening us with taxes like water, electricity cess, etc., on the pretext that they don’t have funds.”
“I request higher officials of UT to intervene and order recovery of Leh trip from councillors to teach them a lesson,” he said.
Vinod Vashisht, convener of City Forum of Residents Welfare Organisations (CFORWO), said UT administration must frame rules for councillors’ study tours, and such excursions should be banned.
Meanwhile, the councillors, who went for the trip, refused to come on record. HT independently contacted at least five of them, but all refused to comment amid growing criticism. Even officials, who accompanied them, remain tightlipped.
