Chandigarh, May 26 -- High drama was witnessed as hundreds of sanitation workers associated with Lions Company gathered at the municipal corporation office and shunned work on Monday on the refusal of MC to grant any extension to the company. Mayor Saurabh Joshi made a temporary arrangement for them and assured them that their services wouldn't be affected as another arrangement is in process. During the interaction, the workers informed the mayor that Lions Company's tender has matured, leaving hundreds of workers uncertain about their future and livelihood. MC commissioner Amit Kumar officially informed the firm - M/s Lions Company- that no further extension can be granted. The company has been providing sanitation services in Southern Sectors - from 31 to 50, 61 and 63 since 2017 and their contract had repeatedly been extended. Amit Kumar wrote a dissent note with respect to the agenda passed by the MC general House for giving a contract to the company, which quoted the lowest rates in response to the tender floated a few months ago. The contract was extended initially in September 2025 for three months. After that, the company was granted extension on a regular basis on the plea that sanitation in the southern sectors should not be hit. The corporation pays the company approximately Rs.65 crore annually. MC officials maintained that the bid quoted by the company was still on the higher side (lowest price is more than 35.01% of the estimated rate), and hence, it is recommended that the tender should not be considered. The agenda to extend the contract to Lions Company was passed during the House meeting of the Chandigarh MC held on April 8 this year. The agenda, however, failed to hold water with the MC officials, who refused to grant any extension to the company. It was pointed out by many councillors that the cost of sanitation work in northern sectors where MC is directly engaged in sanitation work (sector 1 to 30) was Rs.10 to 12 crores which is far less than in the Southern Sectors because of the contract awarded to the company. BJP councillor and former mayor Harpreet Babla also pointed out during the House meeting that since everything appears satisfactory, it is unclear why the tender has not been allotted....