Concerns expressed over Urban Arts Commission
Express News Service
Chandigarh, February 4: WITH the sub-groups of the UT Administrator’s
Advisory Council to be formed this week to discuss how the proposed
Urban Arts Commission would be like, different sets of people, including
councillors, political parties and industrialists, have started to
express their concerns over the issue. The crucial aspect, say many, is
not the setting up of the commission per se, but who its members would be.
The local chapter of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has pegged the
issue around sitting MP Pawan Kumar Bansal, who is also a member of the
Advisory Council, as they allege that Bansal was purposefully absent
from the crucial meeting which was to discuss the fate of the city.
Meanwhile, local congress president B B Bahl has stressed on the need
for local representation in any such body deciding the city’s developments.
cont'd....
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=220811
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UT okays commission in principle
However, Admn has decided to constitute sub-groups of members from city
Express News Service
Chandigarh, February 1: The bureaucratic set up at the UT
Administration, meanwhile, continued to remain skeptic over the Centre’s
move of setting up a commission as the exact composition of the
commission is yet to take a final shape.
The commission, as proposed by the Centre, would have the powers to
approve or reject proposals of the Chandigarh Administration, the
Municipal Corporation or any other committee. This would imply that all
the decisions to be taken for the city’s development, architecture and
byelaws would go through the commission and the role of the Chandigarh
Administration in these matters would only be secondary. Even private
residential premises would come under the commission’s purview.
Though UT officials remained tight-lipped about the significant
development today, the proposal is being seen as a fallout of the visit
of prominent city residents to Delhi to meet Congress president Sonia
Gandhi about maintaining of the character of the city and its architecture.
cont'd....
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=220395
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Mixed response to proposed panel
Some fear it will delay projects in the name of preservation
Express News Service
Chandigarh, January 31: The proposed Urban Arts Commission for the city
has evoked different views from the members of the Advisory Council and
other residents of the city.
While some members say the Commission would do little than just delay
the projects and other development works in the name of preservation,
others say it can lead to more planned development. However, the
composition of the Commission, with largely local representatives, would
be more effective, feel the majority.
cont'd....
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=220243