Ranchi:Corporation area in the state capital now comprises 53 wards, instead of the earlier 55, an overnight alteration in the city's municipal boundaries that will necessitate fresh documentation for your ration card and housing tax, among other things.
The district administration issued the delimitation notification, with immediate effect, on Tuesday night following an approval from the state election commissioner's office, setting the ball rolling for civic polls tentatively expected in March-April 2018.
Mayor Asha Lakra said the capital's civic limits had been changed, in accordance with the Jharkhand Municipal Act, 2011, for equitable distribution of voters in each ward.
"Going by gazette details, the wards have been reclassified on the basis of population ranging between 18,000 and 21,000, as per the 2010 census. Earlier, some wards had merely 5,000 voters while in others, the number was more than double," Lakra said, adding that delimitation would also ensure smooth functioning.
The mayor's deputy, however, sounded sceptical. "The basis of delimitation is flawed. This is 2017 and we are taking into account the population of 2010. Does it make sense?" Sanjeev Vijayvargiya asked.
The deputy mayor said most civic development plans were usually made keeping each ward and its profile into account. "Now, all that will have to be reworked," he added.
Councillor Ashok Baraik, whose Ward 28 is now Ward 43, cited a host of problems residents would have to face.
"Ration cards were issued only recently after a gap of several years. Many use it as address proof while others take supplies from allotted shops. Documentation will have to be done afresh. People will have to do rounds of the RMC (corporation) office," Baraik said, dubbing it a Herculean task.
According to the councillor, passage of building maps had been temporarily derailed too. "The RMC approval system is online and based on old ward limits. The system will have to be reprogrammed and fresh maps uploaded. Chaos is expected," he said.
Baraik added that connecting with a new set of people at such short notice (before polls) would be a challenge. "Old ward residents knew me and my work. Convincing people who don't know me can be tough."
Another councillor, who didn't wish to be identified, claimed that the delimitation was done without homework.
"An area called Sembertoli, which was under Ward 28 is now a part of Ward 45. Between Kadru and Sembertoli, there is a river without a bridge; there are railway tracks, but no road. To meet his new ward councillor, a resident will have to take a detour of 5km," he argued.
Do you think this municipal delimitation is justified? Tell ttkhand@abpmail.com
