Citizens' Welfare Association (CWA), Panchkula raised objection to the current draft and asked that the other three wards should also be looked into. (File)

After at least two meetings and several objections raised by the residents, their representatives and several political parties, a final draft for the division of Panchkula wards was issued in the Haryana Government Gazette on Monday.

Of the total 20 wards divided, four—including division of Sector 19 into two, addition of Sector 2 with Kharak Mangoli, division of Sector 4 with a trans ghaggar ward and the addition of Sector 6 with MDC sectors—were contested by residents and their representatives alike.

Addressing only one concern, the final notification has listed Sector 19 in one ward as opposed to its division earlier. Ward 8 which earlier included Abheypur and parts of Sector 19, now has the entire Sector 19 along with Industrial area phase II. Abheypur village is now a part of Ward 9 along with areas of sector 14, Industrial areas phase I. The ward earlier consisted the housing board colony, parts of Sector 19, Industrial Area Phase 1 & 2, areas of Sector 14. The city has been divided into 20 wards in all.

Ward divisions that demand review

Citizens’ Welfare Association (CWA), Panchkula raised objection to the current draft and asked that the other three wards should also be looked into.

“No action has been initiated to solve the practical difficulties to be faced by the residents of area (falling under ward 17) and the wards belonging to sectors 4, 3, 24, 25, 26. Geographically, residents of these sectors have the distance of about 10 kms between two end-points rather more, of the ward apart from a highway falling in the middle. The city already lacks a good transportation system and this will only add to the woes of senior citizens, women, differently-abled persons, etc residing in Sector 4 as they will become victim of such an arrangement,” said SK Naiyar, CWA president.

Residents of Sector 2 also voiced concerns over the division, as the sector still remains included with Kharak Mangoli. Sector 2, one of the most-posh sectors of the city, has been included with sectors 1 and 5 and Majri village and Kaharak mangoli. While the total population of all sectors combined stands just a little more than 6,000, Kharak mangoli itself has more than 9000 voters along with 1344 registered voters from Majri. The sector, already falling in a crucial area in need of developmental works will again stand neglected.

Similar objections have been raised in attaching Sector 6 with the MDC sectors owing to the geographic mismatch.

Residents demand fair reservation of seats

Meanwhile, Panchkula Vikas Manch, a city-based NGO, demanded fairness in reserving seats for various backward castes. Demanding that no political pressures be involved in this reservation, they suggested a lucky draw system for deciding which wards will go for reserved categories.