THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:Politicians and the public turned up together to voice their concerns regarding the wards getting torn apart to carve out a new municipality - Kazhakkoottam - from the City Corporation. Marking of the geographical boundaries was a common problem, along with which came a plethora of other inconveniences regarding the hearing over draft delimitation list, before the Delimitation Commission at Collectorate here on Monday.
Representing as many as 130 families of M P Appan Nagar in Vazhuthacaud were the office-bearers of M P Appan Nagar Residents’ Association.
“For years, we have been part of Vazhuthacaud ward and they are now telling us to be part of Thycaud, which is something the residents’ cannot easily approve of. The geographical existence of our place itself is close to Vazhuthacaud Junction than Thycaud. The road commemorating the name of poet M P Appan should ideally be associated with Vazhuthacaud, for he always stood as an icon here,” said D Ramakrishnan, president of the association. To back their claim, Vazhuthacaud ward councillor K Suresh Kumar was also present.
In the draft list, the southern boundary of Vazhuthacaud, marked from DPI Junction to Bakery Junction via Women’s College, is silent on M P Appan Road, which is a road going steep down from opposite Hindi Prachar Sabha on the stretch from DPI Junction to Women’s College.
Meanwhile, people of Mannammoola Residents’ Association said that attaching a tail end of theirs to Kanjirampara may in future add a baggage of woes to the residents. “Roads opposite to each other at Mannammoola Junction will belong to two councillors as per the draft list. But the place comes under one residents’ association, which will be in Mannammoola and Kanjirampara. Even for a minor issue like a streetlight maintenance, we may have to call two councillors to sort it out. Rather than making things worse, it is better to include us in Mannammoola alone,” said association patron T Harikumar.
The delimitation has also landed residents in nowhere land. According to CPI local committee secretary of Kudappanakkunnu G Rajeev, “we were wonder-stuck at the delimitation list as 200 people in Mukkola did not fall in any ward. The matter was taken up with the District Planning Officer immediately. Also, certain areas somehow belong to two wards.”
The one-hour time allotted for hearing grievances under the City Corporation extended to a few more hours.
Hearing of delimitation for Kazhakkoottam municipality and 10 other village panchayats were also in the schedule on the day.
As per officials, with too many complaints being raised from Kazhakkoottam, the marked geographical boundaries will be reviewed under the aegis of a Revenue Inspector.
