P’kula population over 3 lakh, reveals wardbandi survey
Rajinder Nagarkoti
Tribune News Service
Panchkula, April 23
While the matter pertaining to bifurcation of Panchkula Municipal Corporation is pending with the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the wardbandi survey-2018 report conducted by the Panchkula Municipal Corporation reveals Panchkula area population is 3.21 lakh.
The Panchkula requires population of only 3 lakh for separate Municipal Corporation, without Kalka and Pinjore.
The report also reveals that the population of Kalka and Pinjore area is 1.47 lakhs. Recently, the committee under the chairmanship of Ambala Divisional Commissioner had recommended maintaining the corporation status for Panchkula, but separating Kalka and Pinjore from the Panchkula MC. The panel had also recommended for a common civic body for Kalka and Pinjore.
A senior official of Panchkula Municipal Corporation said the survey report will help the government to take a final call on bifurcation of Panchkula MC.
Earlier, Panchkula and Kalka BJP MLAs Gian Chand Gupta and Latika Sharma, were also in favour of separating Kalka and Pinjore from the Panchkula corporation and retaining the corporation status for Panchkula.
In December last year, the Panchkula MC General House, in which a majority of councillors are from the Congress and the INLD, had rejected the agenda of dissolution of the Municipal Corporation and had resolved to maintain the Panchkula MC, including Kalka and Pinjore.
Of the 19 elected councillors, who were present in the MC House meeting on December 14, 17 were against the dissolution of the MC.
Report sought from Ambala Div Com
On the demand of Kalka MLA Latika Sharma, the Urban Local Bodies Department, Haryana, had sought a report from the Ambala Divisional Commissioner. Latika Sharma had written to the Haryana Chief Minister, submitting that under the Municipal Corporation, no development had taken place in Kalka and Pinjore. Hence, Pinjore and Kalka should be separated from the Panchkula MC.
Panchkula MC was set up in 2010
The Panchkula Municipal Corporation was set up in March 2010 by merging civic bodies of Panchkula, Pinjore and Kalka. After years of opposition, the MC elections were finally held in June 2013.
Matter pending in HC
The Haryana Government’s move to split Kalka, Pinjore and some villages out of the Panchkula MC was also challenged in the High Court. The plea challenging the government’s move was filed by local councillor Satinder Singh Toni.
