The Times of India 21.09.2010
Delimitation based on wrong numbers: Residents
GURGAON: The citys residents have given thumbs down to the proposed delimitation of municipal wards in Gurgaon by the Haryana government.
Residents have termed the delimitation on the basis of population as given in Census 2001, as inappropriate. A spokesperson for Mission Gurgaon Development (MGD), a citizens group, said as per Census 2001, Gurgaons population has been calculated to be a mere 10 lakh, on the basis of which 35 wards have been carved out.
But there have been interim surveys and estimates that show that the population has crossed 20 lakh. A feasibility study conducted by Ernst and Young for MCG on launching intra-bus services in the city had reportedly estimated the population of the city to be approximately 26.35 lakh in 2011, he added.
Quoting a clause of the Haryana Municipal Corporation Act, the spokesperson said that after every official census, the total number of seats to be fixed by the Government should be done on the basis of latest census figures. Then only it can fix the seats for the corporation.
In such a case, each ward would comprise more than two times of the population envisaged in the Act, and would thus make it extremely difficult for the MCG to effectively and efficiently provide the required municipal services to the people of the city, said Vinay Shankar, a former government secretary.
Major general Satbir Singh of MGD said holding municipal elections on the basis of gross under-estimation of population would be undemocratic and against the spirit and provisions of the Municipal Corporation Act and Rules.
