PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
Workers of the Municipal Corporation of Dehradun (MCD) ended their strike on Friday after boycotting work for two days to protest against alleged misbehaviour by a councillor with the municipal commissioner. The MCD’s routine works will resume on Monday, officials said.
The strike was triggered by an alleged altercation earlier this week between Congress councillor Robin Tyagi and municipal commissioner Namami Bansal. According to accounts shared by councillors, the dispute arose after Tyagi accused the commissioner of making him wait outside her office and not responding to his phone calls. The disagreement escalated into a heated exchange and a brief gherao of the commissioner’s office. Following the incident, several councillors raised broader concerns about governance and financial transparency in the municipal body. They alleged significant disparities in ward-level budget allocations, claiming that some wards had received funding of up to Rs one crore while others were allotted as little as Rs 20 lakh or, in some cases, no funds at all. Councillors also demanded a review of CCTV footage from the commissioner’s office to determine responsibility for the confrontation.
Municipal employees responded by launching a complete strike on Wednesday, with three unions jointly stating that work would not resume until assurances were given regarding the dignity and safety of officers and staff. The protest disrupted routine administrative functions, though essential services were maintained, officials said. Municipal commissioner Bansal said that deliberations with all three unions led to a resolution by Friday afternoon, after which employees agreed to call off the strike. “Our priority was to address staff concerns while ensuring that public services are not adversely affected,” she said.
Congress submits memo to Urban Development secretary alleging bias at MCD
DEHRADUN: The Congress councillors in MCD led by Pradesh Congress committee president Ganesh Godiyal, submitted a memorandum to the Urban Development secretary Nitesh Kumar Jha alleging bias against Congress representatives.
The delegation alleged that development works in wards represented by Congress councillors are being deliberately delayed, while projects worth crores of rupees are being approved without hurdles in areas represented by councillors and MLAs of the ruling party. Godiyal said such selective approvals violate democratic norms and undermine the role of elected local representatives.
The issue of overlapping jurisdiction was also raised during the meeting. Congress leaders alleged that some MLAs are getting development works sanctioned through the corporation despite having separate government funds earmarked for constituency development. They said that MLAs, regardless of party affiliation, represent the entire constituency and not a single political party. Seeking immediate corrective action, the PCC chief urged the Urban Development secretary to ensure uniform treatment of all elected councillors and to end political bias in the approval of development projects. He warned that the party would be compelled to launch a public movement if the alleged injustice continues.
Jha assured the delegation that their grievances would be examined seriously and that appropriate action would be taken.
