CHANDIGARH, June 4 – In a rare show of cross-party unity, councillors from all political groups came together during Tuesday’s Municipal Corporation (MC) House meeting to oppose the administration’s decision to terminate all 664 tubewell operators, warning that the move would impact hundreds of families and worsen service delivery across the city.
The layoffs stem from a cost-cutting directive issued last month amid the MC’s mounting financial crisis. Initially, the civic body had decided not to renew contracts for 332 outsourced tubewell workers, based on an internal engineering department review. However, Tuesday’s meeting revealed a drastic escalation — all existing tubewell staff are now set to be terminated following a revised decision.
The development triggered sharp exchanges in the House. BJP councillor Kanwarjit Singh Rana clashed with MC Commissioner Amit Kumar, demanding a rollback. “Over 600 families depend on these jobs. We cannot allow the administration to act unilaterally,” said Rana, threatening to lead a protest within the MC if workers are not reinstated.
Commissioner Kumar stood his ground, stating, “We’ve extended their services till June 30. A fresh tender will be floated after that.” He added a dissent note, citing the corporation’s dire fiscal health and asserting that final decisions rest with the UT administration. “No one is above the law,” he said.
Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla expressed solidarity with the House’s stance. “We will take this issue to the UT Administrator. Not a single corporation worker should be removed,” she said.
Outside the MC office, tubewell operators staged a protest, demanding job security and accusing the administration of overlooking their contributions.
Congress councillor Jasbir Singh Bunty questioned the mayor’s inaction. “If the House supports reinstatement, why is the mayor hesitating?” he asked. Babla later reiterated her support, aligning fully with the councillors’ demands.
Meanwhile, councillors from AAP and Congress protested the MC’s financial handling. They raised placards and slogans over the mayor’s prior assurance of a ₹238-crore grant. “The mayor promised ₹238 crore. Where is that money now?” asked one councillor.
The meeting also turned into a platform for airing civic grievances. AAP councillor Suman Sharma brought a bottle of muddy water from Mauli Jagran to the House, denouncing the deteriorating water quality and alleged inaction. Prem Lata, also from AAP, said her ward continues to suffer from erratic water supply.
BJP’s Jasman Singh complained about residents in high-rises struggling due to low water pressure. “Despite repeated complaints, the MC chief engineer has failed to act,” he said.
Encroachments, too, came under fire. AAP’s Damanjit Singh cited illegal structures in Sector 22, claiming his written complaints were ignored. BJP’s Kuljeet Singh Randhawa echoed this, accusing officials of selective enforcement.
Congress councillor Gurpreet Singh Gabi called for a complete halt to the 24×7 water supply pilot in Manimajra, alleging gross cost escalations and financial irregularities. “The project was initially pegged at ₹500 crore. Now it’s projected at ₹1,400 crore. ₹29 crore has already been paid in consultancy fees — that’s nearly 8% of the total cost. This needs a thorough vigilance probe,” Gabi said.
Former mayor and senior BJP leader Anup Gupta took on MC chief engineer Sanjay Arora over awarding the ₹3 crore horticulture waste management contract to M/s Hardicon Limited without a formal bidding process.
Gupta said he had sought details on whether the General Financial Rules, Central Vigilance Commission guidelines, or the Manual of Procurement of Works were followed. “Till date, I’ve received no reply. This is financial mismanagement at a time when the MC is already cash-strapped,” Gupta said, raising concerns that the firm might outsource the project.
The commissioner responded by ordering an inquiry. “The contract will be canceled if irregularities are found. A fresh tender will be issued,” Kumar assured.
The House meeting concluded with multiple unresolved issues — from job security and water crises to fiscal opacity and alleged administrative lapses — setting the stage for further political friction and administrative scrutiny.
