Ward delimitation creates uproar in Pernambut

Sources said they have decided to move court if the district administration failed to provide them justice. The issue pertains to the recent notification of delimitation of 21 wards coming under Pernambut municipality where only ward numbers have changed, but areas continue to be in the same location.

Thus ward 1 is now ward 2 while ward 2 has become 3 and so on according to the notification. Thus 11 streets in ward 9 is renamed as ward 11 and categorised as women general. Earlier it was general category. Likewise, 4 streets in ward 10 under women general now ward 20 under general category.

The 7 streets in ward 11 now designated as ward 21 continue to be in the women general category and 11 streets in ward 12 now named ward 18 continue to be SC (women) category. Similarly, the 11 streets in ward 19 have been marked as ward 17 and retained as SC (general) category.

In 2001, general wards were 11, women general wards were five, SC (general) wards were two and SC (women) wards were three. After the recent delimitation, general wards are eight, women general wards are three, SC (general) wards has reduced to one and SC (women) wards increased by one.

According to G Suresh Kumar, town Congress committee president, “The delimitation exercise undertaken once a decade raised expectations that it will be fair and wards will be delineated based on proper planning and caste rotation. However, local body officials only changed ward numbers instead of doing the exercise properly.”

Former DMK councillor Meeran G Salim said, “The aim behind the exercise is to ensure that those who had the potential to question the local body are kept out by ensuring that their wards have only numbers changed or are brought under a category under which they cannot contest.”

Pernambut municipal Commissioner Sathyanathan refused to answer calls.