Farmers Movement Archive

Chandigarh MC: 70,000 new rural voters to play key role in election

With 13 villages added to the Chandigarh municipal corporation’s jurisdiction three years ago, their 70,000 residents are set to play a key role in the upcoming civic body elections. From having no stake in the previous MC elections held five years ago, these voters now account for more than 10% of around 6.5 lakh electorate. There are 22 villages under the MC’s jurisdiction, of which 13 — Behlana, Raipur Khurd, Raipur Kalan, Makhan Majra, Daria, Mauli Jagran, Kishangarh, Kaimbwala, Khuda Ali Sher, Khuda Jassu, Khuda Lahora, Sarangpur and Dhanas — were taken over by the civic body in December 2018.MC wards were increased from 26 to 35 by the UT administration last year solely to incorporate these new villages. The fate of seven wards depend on residents of these villages. Ward 1 and 8 comprise exclusively of some of these villages. While the opposition Congress and Aam Aadmi Party are banking on poor development record of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in these wards as well as the farmer agitation, the saffron party has loosened the fiscal strings to spend ₹102 crore dedicated funds on these 13 villages.Development issuesDevelopment issues have been plaguing the villages, particularly since the areas were subsumed into the MC jurisdiction.“Though part of the City Beautiful, these villages are close in infrastructure levels to Zirakpur than to the city. The situation has only deteriorated in the past three years. Take our village, Daria. To get drinking water is a daily problem. Most residents are dependent on water tankers. Similarly, sewage is a big problem,” said Ajay Pandey, former Daria panchayat samiti member and local Congress leader. Opposition party members also complain that since the villages were subsumed within the MC, the residents have no voice in their governance.“The panchayats were disbanded in 2018, and for nearly three years the villagers had no public representatives. Earlier, people used to get their work done through the panchayat members. But MC officials are unresponsive. The ruling BJP leaders have not helped either,” said Jit Singh, Behlana resident and Congress District (Rural) president. New regulationsComing into the MC’s ambit has also brought the corresponding rules and regulations, which have irked many residents.“There are many cases where the MC is not giving water connection to people because they allege that a building doesn’t conform to its bylaws. Most buildings were constructed before 2019, but now people have to comply post facto. There is also a prospect of the MC imposing property tax on residents,” said Nitin Goel, AAP general secretary who lives in Dhanas.Both Congress and AAP are also looking to gain from the anti-farm laws agitation, which is directed against the BJP. There have been some instances wherein protesters have staged dharnas against BJP leaders visiting the villages.Stating that the BJP has infused large funds for development of these villages, party’s state president Arun Sood said: “Development works worth ₹102 crore have been started in villages. We are close to resolving issues like lal dora and provision of basic amenities outside it. A land pooling policy is in the offing for village development.”Sood also contended that the BJP has expended its base in villages in the last five years. “In all the recent elections, village residents have predominantly voted for the BJP and its policies,” he said. On the farmers’ agitation impacting party’s chances, Sood said, “It is a non-issue in Chandigarh’s villages.”

Hindustan Times

27-10-2021

Chandigarh