Instead of simply making statements about the State Government's commitment to empowering urban local bodies (UlB), the State Chief Minister Harish Rawat should ensure necessary action to empower the UlBs and direct public servants to respect the system and public representatives.
"The State should also act effectively to implement the 74th constitutional amendment in Uttarakhand instead of misinforming the Central Government on the issue," said Dehradun Mayor Vinod Chamoli in response to the statements made by the CM while interacting with a delegation from UlBs here.
A delegation of UlB representatives, including Mussoorie municipality chairman Manmohan Singh Mall, Rishikesh municipality chairman Deep Sharma and others met CM Harish Rawat on Wednesday. The CM said that the State Government is in favour of empowering UlBs and Panchayati Raj institutions to strengthen democracy.
Rawat also said that the State Government respects the financial and other constitutional rights accorded to chairpersons of UlBs and is committed to protect these rights. Reacting to these statements, the Dehradun Mayor Vinod Chamoli told The Pioneer that instead of simply making such statements, the CM should ensure action on the ground to protect the autonomy and authority of UlBs.
"The Kashipur mayor Usha Chaudhary recently telephoned me and said that the municipal corporation's Mukhya Nagar Adhikari there, who also happens to be the sub divisional magistrate told her that he would be hoisting the national flag at the municipal corporation on Independence Day in his capacity as the departmental head. In violation of the law, the SDM has also constituted a committee for hearing on house tax whereas according to the Nagar Nigam Act this is the work of the municipal executive.
The State government needs to check the system and direct officials to respect the system and elected public representatives in the UlBs. The State should monitor functioning of the UlBs and allocate necessary resources to them.
Instead of misinforming the Central Government by claiming to be taking measures for implementing the 74th Amendment in Uttarakhand, the State should take concrete action in this direction.
The previous CM Vijay Bahuguna had announced that the MCD would be authorised to approve building maps in Dehradun but this has not been facilitated yet," said the Dehradun Mayor.
Chamoli also said, "Mayors are authorised to sport red-beacons on their official vehicles in all Indian States except in Uttarakhand. If the State accords the respect it claims to be according to UlBs the Mayors in Uttarakhand should also be allowed to have red beacons on their official vehicles," he stressed.