The Hindu  13.10.2010

Merger of local bodies with Corporation gets approval

S.Ganesan

TIRUCHI: The State government has approved and ordered the merger of the Tiruverumbur Town Panchayat, Pappakurichi, Ellakudi, Keezha Kalkandarkottai and Alathur village panchayats, all located in the eastern periphery of the city, with the Tiruchi Corporation.

Geographical spread

Once the merger is through, its geographical spread of the Tiruchi Corporation will increase to 167.23 square kilometres from the existing 146.90 sq km. The population of the Corporation will increase to 7,96,644 from 7,52,066 (figures as per 2001 census).

An order issued by K.Ashok Vardhan Shetty, Principal Secretary, Municipal Administration, said that the merger has been approved after careful consideration of the proposal forwarded by the Corporation and the district administration.

Though the elected councils of the local bodies concerned, except the Pappakurichi village panchayat, have adopted resolutions opposing the proposal, the merger has been approved in public interest and taking into account the rapid urbanisation of these areas, the order said.

Merger after election

The merger would, however, come into effect only after the end of the term of the local bodies next year.

The government order makes it clear that the current term of the elected representatives of the town panchayat and four village panchayats would not be affected due to the merger.

Sources said that places under the five local bodies would come under the Corporation's administrative control only after the next local body election.

A special officer would be appointed and the exercise of delineating the wards under the five local bodies would be taken up before the election. At least one new Corporation zone, possibly with Tiruverambur as headquarters, is likely to be created.

This would ensure that people of the newly added zone were not required to travel to the city for availing the Corporation services, the sources added.

The Pappakurichi Panchayat, with a population of 20,371 (as per 2001 census), spread over an area of 4.92 sq. km., would be the largest local body that is to be merged with the corporation.

The Tiruverambur Town Panchayat has a population of 16,824 spread over an area of 4.16 square km.

The Ellakudi panchayat has control over 4.30 sq.km with a population of 4,831, while the Keezha Kalkandarkottai panchayat has a population of 1,472 in an area of 4.72 sq.km.

The Alathur panchayat would be smallest with a population of just 1,080 in an area of 2.23 square km.

The Hindu      11.10.2010

Plan to expand Tirupattur Municipality

Staff Reporter

“Areas have been selected mainly based on urbanisation, followed by parameters”

“No vacant space within Tirupattur Municipality limit for taking up development schemes”

TIRUPATTUR: A proposal to expand the 124-year-old Tirupattur Municipality by merging two adjoining village panchayats has been sent to the State government. This long-pending need to extend the municipality limit was to provide a breather to the crowded Tirupattur town and establish land resources for undertaking development in the future.

Since its formation in 1886, the Tirupattur Municipality's area extent has been 4.66 sq.km. Recently, the municipal council had passed a resolution to merge nearby villages — Tirupattur village, Paachal, Supallipattu, Aadhiyur and Vengalapuram — with the municipality. The resolution was also sent to the District Collector.

Following this, the Collector has sent a letter to the Department of Municipal Administration and Water Supply, said official sources.

“Based on a number of parameters and after following required procedures, we have sent a letter to the government proposing to merge two areas — Tirupattur village panchayat and Paachal panchayat — with the municipality. These areas have been selected mainly based on urbanisation, followed by parameters such as individual income, per capita income, agricultural land,” District Collector C. Rajendran told The Hindu.

It was only the Tirupattur village panchayat and Paachal village panchayat that fell within the required urbanisation parameters, officials said. “The other areas selected by the council — Aadhiyur, Vengalapuram and Supallipattu — have rural habitations. These areas have cultivable lands. We do not want to disturb these areas,” an official said.

While the Tirupattur village panchayat has an area extent of about five sq.km, Paachal covered nearly eight sq.km area, official sources said. “Presently, there is no vacant space within the Tirupattur Municipality limit for taking up development schemes such as underground sewage (UGS) and water supply schemes in future. If we are taking up the UGS scheme in future, we need to construct sumps and a number of lift stations for the sewage treatment plant for which sites are required,” the official pointed out.

With the municipality being enlisted under the Hogenakkal drinking water project, land for constructing overhead tanks and ground-level reservoirs were also needed. “With no land for municipality utilisation in future, merging the nearby village panchayats will be of great use as lands are available there. The Tirupattur town has plenty of residential areas,” the official noted.

In fact, municipal officials said the town witnessed a floating population of 45,000 to 50,000 per day as people from adjoining villages come for commercial purposes such as marketing agriculture produce and purchase of commodities. Being a commercial centre, extension of its limits was crucial for the municipality, officials stated.