MAPUSA
New wards have been constituted in two panchayats of Bardez taluka in the delimitation exercise for the ensuing panchayat polls.
The Directorate of Panchayat has increased two wards each in Tivim and Nerul village panchayats as per the new delimitation plan on the basis of data from the Block Development Officers (BDOs).
As per the new plan, Tivim panchayat will have 11 wards, while Nerul will have nine wards. In 2012, Tivim and Nerul had nine and seven wards, respectively.
“Increase in population has been the sole criteria for increasing the number of wards in the two panchayats,” said Krishnakant Pangam, BDO-1 in Bardez.
Welcoming the decision of the government to increase the wards, Tivim Sarpanch Shivdas Kambli said that in some wards the voting population had crossed the 1,000 mark.
“The increase in wards was the need of the hour. Smaller wards are always better to manage,” Kambli said.
However in Nerul, although the population has increased, the voter count has remained more or less the same. “Since the number of voters has remained the same, the two new wards that have been carved out will have an average of 260 voters per ward,” said Narcis, a panch member of Nerul, wondering the efficacy of forming new wards with so few voters.
As per the delimitation process, Bardez will have eight panchayats with the strength of 11 members, nine panchayats will have nine members, 15 panchayats will have the strength of seven members and one panchayat will have five members.
While the government is yet to decide on reservations of SC/ST and OBC, the reservation of seats for women is done on the earlier formula of rotation of wards.
Women reservation in 11-member panchayats has been categorized in two separate groups of four panchayats each. In Tivim, Socorro, Candolim and Reis Magos wards 1, 3, 5 and 8 have been reserved for women while wards 1, 2, 5 and 8 of Anjuna-Caisua, Penha de Franca, Calangute and Aldona have been reserved for women.
In nine-member panchayats of Saligao, Colvale, Assonora, Guirim, Salvador do Mundo, Nerul, Verla-Canca, Siolim Marna and Pilerne-Marra wards 3, 5 and 8 have been reserved for women while in seven-member panchayats of Pirna, Moira, Camurlim, Nachinola, Parra, Sirsaim, Ucassaim, Sangolda, Bastora, Revora, Arpora-Nagao, Pomburpa, Sodiem, Assagao and Oxel wards 3 and 4 have been reserved for women.
