Community centre norms tossed out?

CHANDIGARH: It seems that the Chandigarh municipal corporation has forgotten its own norms which state that each resident welfare association can avail the facility of the community centre of their sector free of cost without seeking permission from anyone for holding their monthly meeting.
Recently, when the federation of sector welfare associations (Foswac) wanted to book the community centre for their general house meeting, an official objected that they need to get it approved from the area councillor to hold meeting at the centre.
Fresh norms were approved recently by the general house of the MC in which the clause of availing the community centre by RWA without seeking permission still exists, but when FOSWAC requested, objection was raised by the official concerned that the letter was not approved by the area councillor, which was mandatory. The members of the RWA objected that the MC could not adopt norms according to their own whims and fancies.
Foswac president Baljinder Singh Bittu said the officials informed him that they would seek clarification from the general house in the next house meeting on the issue of booking the community centre by the RWA's. He said it was strange that when the norm still exists, why the official needed clarification on the same.
Pankaj Gupta spokesperson of Foswac said they had the copy of the new and old norms in which it was clearly mentioned that there was no change in the provision of booking a community centre by the RWA's.
Booking a community center for a common man has become a struggle as the caterers in the city have created unofficial pool who get the centres booked in advance. Sources said the caterers were doing this so that when anybody needed the community centre, they will have to book the caterers as well.
Foswac general secretary J S Gogia said when he tried to book the community centre for their general meeting at the southern sectors every month, he was told by the booking staff that it was already booked.