By Sunil Sonker
Mussoorie, 17 Jul: Several key issues were discussed during the Municipal Council’s board meeting here on Thursday. A decision was made to send a proposal to the government—passed by a majority vote—for the provincialisation of Mahatma Gandhi Post Graduate College (MPG College). Additionally, council;ors expressed strong displeasure regarding the golf cart and shuttle services, which had been launched at a cost of crores of rupees during the former administrator’s tenure; they demanded an investigation into the entire matter and action against the officials responsible.
Municipal Council President Meera Saklani stated that MG College has long been a major centre for higher education for students in the region, though its academic environment has suffered in recent years. She noted that provincialisation would facilitate the appointment of permanent faculty and provide better resources and infrastructure, benefiting hundreds of students from Mussoorie and surrounding areas. She informed the board that the proposal is being forwarded to the government.
During the meeting, councillors Pawan Thalwal and Jasbir Kaur raised questions about the golf cart and shuttle services, noting that while crores were spent launching these schemes during the former administrator’s term, both are currently defunct. They alleged that the golf carts were never registered with the RTO, and operations had to be halted after the matter reached the courts. Similarly, no tangible results are visible on the ground regarding the funds spent on projects such as the shuttle service, parking facilities, waiting rooms, and restrooms.
The councillors asserted that public funds had been misused and demanded an impartial inquiry followed by strict action against the guilty officials. Jasbir Kaur went so far as to say that, if the investigation reveals irregularities, FIRs should be registered against the officials responsible. Municipal Council Chairperson Meera Saklani stated that, had the elected board not been constituted in time, there could have been further misuse of public funds. She announced that the entire golf cart and shuttle service project would be reviewed, and accountability would be fixed for the concerned officials if necessary. During the meeting, some councillors alleged that development works were being carried out in their wards without their knowledge. In response, the Chairperson clarified that all development works are executed through a prescribed tendering process and that tender notices are published publicly; she remarked that it is a serious matter if an elected representative is unaware of the works being undertaken in their area.
Executive Officer Gaurav Bhasin, Rajnish Dobriyal, and councillors Babita Mall, Amit Bhatt, Sachin Guher, Neetu Chauhan, Shivani Bharti, Gauri Thapliyal, Ruchita Gupta, Ranbir Kandari, and Pankaj Khatri, along with Tax Superintendent Aniruddha Chaudhary, CP Badoni, and other municipal officials and staff, were present on the occasion.
