The Hindu 11.07.2011
Pudukottai village panchayat to be merged with municipality
The State government has issued an order merging the Pudukottai village panchayat with the Pudukottai municipality and has also recommended an increase in the number of wards in proportion to population based on the 2001 census.
The Pudukottai municipality has 39 wards and the Pudukottai village panchayat, five wards. As per the 2001 census, the municipality accounted for a population of 1, 09,217 and the village panchayat, 17,000. After the proposed merger, the new municipality would have 42 wards. The decision to merge the village panchayat was taken based on the increase in the population strength of the village panchayat which has five wards.
An urgent meeting of the municipal council was convened today in which a few councillors voiced their objection over the decision. They said that the municipality should pay more attention in providing adequate civic facilities to the existing 39 wards, without expanding geographically.
S. Arumugam (Congress) said that before the merger, the municipality should ensure its capability in providing basic amenities to the residents, particularly underground drainage facility and drinking water supply.
Ibrahim Babu, another councillor, said that the 2001 census would not be relevant now in the wake of the 2011 census with an increase in population.
Nainar Mohamad, another councillor, said that the council would not be able to provide civic amenities, if the area increased without adequate representation for the voters.
K. Balakrishnan, Municipal Commissioner, clarified that the meeting was convened for ascertaining the council’s views on the proposed merger.
The objections would be intimated to the State government for further action. He said that the proposed new municipality could have only 42 wards, as the total population after merger would be around 1.26 lakh. As per norms, a municipality with a population in the 1.15 lakh to 1.40 lakh could have only 42 wards.
Ramathilagam Udaiyappan, Municipal Chairperson, presided over the meeting.
