The Times of India 30.08.2010
Area Sabhas to be formed in city on Sept 4
HYDERABAD: For the first time in the state, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has decided to come up with Area Sabhas, giving representation to local people to decide priority of works in their area, from September 4.
These Area Sabhas will be functional from September 5 after 1,081 area sabha members will be nominated for the 150 municipal wards at the GHMC special council meeting on September 4.
The Area Sabhas are basic units of the civic body to identify, propose and monitor works sanctioned by it. Area Sabha members act as mediators between the corporation and residents.
The role of the area sabha is crucial as they identify developmental works to be implemented in the area and forward it to the ward committee. The members can identify problems like water supply, sanitation and street lighting and can suggest locations for street lights, public taps, public bore wells and public toilets.
Applications for area sabha members were invited by the corporation 45 days ago. Elections for the sabhas were supposed to be conducted last month. But due to lack of awareness, only 150 applications were filed by the people and the last date was extended up to August 7.
“We have received 2,541 applications for 1,080 members in area sabhas. The members will be elected by voice vote by the council members,” GHMC secretary MSS Soma Raju told TOI.
Area Sabhas have been identified by dividing wards into areas based on population of the ward. When it comes to the GHMC, Area Sabhas have been created for every 5,000 people and localities in all municipal divisions. The existing polling booths were taken into consideration while dividing the ward into several areas. Since many wards have about 40,000 to 50,000 population, the areas committees for each ward would be about eight to 10 area sabhas.
Any representative of civic organisation or registered voter of that particular ward can represent the Area Sabha. President or secretary of a registered resident welfare association, a member of registered tax payers’ association of that area, a president or secretary of slum-level federation or a member of a registered association, institution, body or organisation and non-governmental organisation, trade union, chamber of commerce and medical council in the area can contest for the area sabha.
Since the number of nominations are more, 2541, than the required, 1081 members, the GHMC has decided to conduct an election by conducting a special meeting.
“It is a known fact that area sabha members will be nominated based on their affiliation with parties or political leaders, but not based on their social service,” an official remarked.
