Villages brought under Karnal, Y’nagar MCs unhappy with devp

Want to move back to Panchayati Raj system, saying they were lagging behind as compared to other villages

KARNAL : Five years after several village panchayats were merged to form the new municipal corporations (MC) of Karnal and Yamunanagar, residents of most of these villages continue to be upset with the decision, saying that their villages were lagging behind in development as compared to others that have independent panchayats.

‘SLOW WORKING STYLE OF CORPORATIONS’

Alleging that the working style of corporations was “tardy and costly”, the villagers say they want to be sent back to the Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) before the municipal corporation elections in June this year.

“A village panchayat takes no time to provide basic facilities such as sewerage system, streetlights, drinking water and roads but the working of municipal corporation is very slow and it takes several months to get approval even for small work,” said Jasvinder Singh, a resident of Bhatoli village which was merged in Yamunananagar MC.

‘HAVE TO PAY MORE FOR FACILITIES’

Another resident, Harvinder Kamboj of Kambopura village of Karnal MC says, “Our village did not get any benefit after the merger with the corporation. Even villages having independent panchayats are doing better than us while we have to pay more for all facilities, including the electricity bill.”Similarly, Devendra Sharma of Uchani village of Karnal MC says, “We had opposed the move when our village was merged with the corporation. Now residents of most other villages too are saying that they did not benefits from being merged with the MC.”

‘CORPORATIONS GETTING GOOD REVENUE FROM VILLAGES’

The residents allege that the villages are a good source of income for these corporations as they get huge amounts in the form of land revenue. Since 2013, Karnal MC has collected ₹3.20 crore from these villages as land revenue.

Meanwhile, Karnal MC mayor Renu Bala Gupta refuted allegations of discrimination in development.

“Our corporation fulfils the population criteria of 3 lakh people and at present the population of Karnal MC including 15 villages is above 4 lakh,” she said adding, the demand of some villages, which are away from the city may be considered.

Karnal and Yamunanagar, along with Panipat, Panchkula, Ambala, Hisar and Rohtak were upgraded as municipal corporations in 2012.

A year later, as many as 41 villages were merged under Karnal MC and 15 villages under Yamunanagar in 2013.

A village panchayat takes no time to provide basic facilities such as streetlights, drinking water and roads but the working of MC is very slow JASVINDER SINGH, Bhatoli village

We had opposed the move when our village was merged with the MC . Now, residents of other villages too are saying that they did not benefit from the move. DEVENDRA SHARMA, Uchani village