Mahendragarh district may be renamed Narnaul

Geetanjali Gayatri
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 4

After changing the names of Gurugram and Nuh districts, Haryana is contemplating renaming Mahendragarh as Narnaul district and carving out two more districts in the state.

Sources said a reconstituted committee for reorganisation, chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala, met earlier this week and deliberated on the change of name of the district and the creation of new districts.

According to information available, the committee is considering Hansi, Gohana and Assandh for the creation of new districts. Two out of the three are likely to get the nod.

However, the change of name of Mahendragarh to Narnaul, where its headquarters are located, is being opposed by locals. Congress MLA from Mahendragarh Rao Dan Singh said the government should drop the idea of change of name of the district since it had “heritage status”. “Mahendragarh district existed even in undivided Punjab, before Haryana was carved out. We want the name to remain unchanged. The government can consider making Narnaul a new district while retaining district status for Mahendragarh. We will be happy in case Narnaul is a new district,” he said.

The MLA pointed out that 145 villages were needed to create a district and Mahendragarh had 370 villages, which could easily be divided into two. He suggested that Ateli and Nangal Chaudhry could be included in Narnaul while Satnali and Kanina in Mahendragarh.

“I have spoken to the committee chairman and apprised him of the local sentiment. He assured me that our point of view would be taken into consideration and no decision had been taken so far. We are hopeful of being heard,” he said.

Two other ministers are part of the committee, which has held its first meeting and the next meeting is likely soon. Sources said the creation of new tehsils and subdivisions was being considered by the committee.