Panchkula, June 17 -- The Panchkula municipal corporation (MC), in the first general house meeting chaired under newly elected mayor Shyam Lal Bansal, proposed to spend Rs.97 crore on door-to-door garbage collection, transportation and processing over the next five years. During the meeting, ward 4 councillor Bharat Hiteshi pointed out that the door-to-door collection currently covers only around 50% of the city, and that user fees should not be charged from residents until 100% coverage is achieved. However, the argument did not convince the House. Bansal said additional vehicles have been deployed across the city to strengthen waste collection. The mayor said the MC has awarded tenders worth Rs.10 crore for cleaning of roadside gullies ahead of monsoon. Addressing concerns over the condition of roads, Bansal said the ongoing Israel-Iran war has led to a rise in bitumen prices, making contractors reluctant to participate in road repairtenders. The mayor acknowledged complaints about water contamination in some areas where residents alleged sewage got mixed with drinking water. Bansal, however, maintained that water supply is managed by the public health department and Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP), and not under the MC's jurisdiction. "Several ageing water pipelines require replacement and the corporation has urged the authorities concerned to undertake the work," said the mayor. The mayor said new community centres would be constructed wherever required and directed officials to ensure proper cleanliness of public toilets in markets and community centres. Area junior engineers (JEs) will be responsible for monitoring sanitation standards, he said. The mayor said nearly 70% of the works proposed by councillors from different wards have already been initiated. Projects involving larger financial outlays will be taken up after securing approvals from the competent authorities. He said drains passing through Rajiv Colony and Indira Colony will be cleaned and beautified at an estimated cost of Rs.40 crore. Cleaning work has also begun on a five-kilometre-long drain from Sector 1 to Sector 12. MC aims to sterilise 2,000 dogs under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme. The mayor said many animals roaming on Panchkula roads originate from neighbouring Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh. Despite the increasing burden, local gaushalas continue to accommodate and care for stray cattle, he said....