Mayor at first press conference: ‘Honour me after office hours’

New Mayor Harcharan Singh Gohlwaria on Tuesday delivered a stern message to one and all, saying "the felicitation functions (meant to honour him) should either be organised after office hours or on off days".

"I want to serve the public during my office hours and don't want to waste this time," he said at his first press conference after assuming charge. "Let me concentrate on the development of the city; personal invites can follow in the off hours."

The announcement marks a departure from the usual style of functioning of mayors in the past, as they have been attending functions during office hours only.

According to sources, on average, the new mayor has been getting five-eight invites a day from organisations which want to honour him.

In another message, Gohlwaria asked his supporters not to put up hoardings with his pictures. "All such hoardings are being removed and I have told the staff not to allow any such hoardings on the city roads. I am also asking the supporters not to display such hoardings anymore," he said.

Asserting that he wanted to make Ludhiana clean and green like Chandigarh, he said he would begin with clearing of garbage from the city roads, and then he would strive for establishing a rehri market on the lines of Chandigarh so that traffic movement could improve and even the rehri vendors could get specific places in different localities.

"I have already given a 15-day ultimatum to A2Z, the private garbage collecting company, to pull up their socks, or they will be penalised as per law," he added.

The mayor said he would focus more on collection of pending dues, and no political pressure would be allowed in this matter.

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