VISAKHAPATNAM: As many as 103 objections have been received from citizens, organisations and parties on the notification issued by the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) over delimitation of wards. Wednesday was the last day for receiving objections regarding geographical boundaries, mapping of wards and other issues.GVMC authorities are likely to submit a report to the municipal administration regarding delimitation of wards on Thursday.
GVMC has issued notification on May 22 with a proposal to increase wards from the present 72 to 81. The number of wards has gone up following merger of Bheemunipatnam and Anakapalle municipalities along with five panchayats abutting Anakapalle. However, five panchayats -- Kapuluppada, Chepalauppada, Nidigattu, K Nagarapalem and JV Agraharam abutting Bheemili -- opposed the merger.
The high court then stayed the merger and even elections were held for these panchayats.
With the term of panchayats ending recently, GVMC officials made fresh proposals towards the merger of these panchayats and even held grama sabhas. During grama sabhas, four of the five panchayats opposed the merger.Official sources said even if the five panchayats were not merged with the GVMC, there will not be any change in the number of wards of 81. New wards have been created basing on 2011 census with 23,300 people in each ward. They said they were planning not to merge the five panchayats as they may approach court to stall the process again.
BJP city president M Nagendra, who submitted a memorandum to GVMC, said the number of wards should be increased to 100 and the boundaries of wards should be reorganised so that wards should be identified with the names of popular areas.
Ramanand Doddi, Smart City general partner and TDP district organising secretary, in a representation submitted to GVMC, said as per the new delimitation some wards are spread over three to four Assembly constituencies which will cause administrative inconvenience. He said with an increase in the population of each ward went up to 25,000 and corporate concerned cannot do justice to all. He said the number of wards should be increased to 100 so that all polling stations in a ward will be in the same constituency.
He said maps of the proposed new wards should be uploaded in GVMC website. He urged the GVMC authorities to hold a meeting with all stakeholders to seek their opinion on the delimitation of wards. In 2005, following the merger of Gajuwaka municipality and the number of wards in the city went up from 50 to 72 then. Later in 2013, Bheemili and Anakapalle municipalities and Tadi, Rajupalem, Koppaka, Salapuvani Palem, and Vallur panchayats were merged.