Chandigarh, August 21: A delegation led by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) President Vijaypal Singh, comprising Councillors Anju Katyal, Yogesh Dhingra, Manur, Suman and (LoP) Jaswinder Kaur, General Secretary Omkar Singh Aulakh, State Media Incharge Vikrant A. Tanwar and Harpreet Singh from Manimajra, today met the Mayoral Commissioner and expressed concern over non-provision of new water connections to residents of Manimajra.
The panel said that while sewerage connections are being provided and electricity connections are being issued by separate departments, the reason for not providing water connections under the Municipal Corporation is the removal of an arrogant clause from the standard No Objection Certificate (NOC) format. They gave an example of two brothers living in a house, where the elder brother has a basic water connection, but the younger brother, who is the legal owner, is deprived of water supply.
The Water Supply Department has also imposed impossible conditions like approval of building plan or reinstatement of old clauses, which are not effective for houses already built and occupied for years.
The leaders demanded immediate restoration of the clauses regarding the right to water and sewerage in the NOC and issuance of clear, citizen-friendly instructions for inherited or divided properties.
Chairman Vijaypal Singh, after handing over the information, said, “Access to drinking water is a basic need, not a privilege. Denying it on technical grounds is unjust and unfair.”