VALPOI
The delimitation of wards and promises of better infrastructure have become two key issues concerning voters and candidates in the polls to the Valpoi Municipal Council (VMC).
What has worried many sitting councillors and other candidates is that their voters have been shuffled across wards, erasing a large chunk of their vote base.
In Ward 8, which represented by sitting councillor and ex-chairperson Umesh Gulelkar, about 100 voters have been removed from the ward and included in Ward 3, while about 100 voters are transferred from Ward 7 and included in Wards 5 and 3.
Some voters of Ward 5 have also been added to Ward 6, while over 150 voters have been added to Ward 3 from Wards 7, 8 and 2.
When contacted, former VMC chairperson Umesh Gulelkar, who is contesting from Ward 8 for the third time, said he is not satisfied with the delimitation in his ward.
“I feel the delimitation is not done geographically, but it is politically motivated. Around 100 voters from my ward are transferred to other wards including Ward 3. Despite all this political mess, I am confident of winning this time too, as I have done a lot of developmental works in my ward,” said Gulelkar.
“The key issue in my ward was flooding during rains. I had managed to construct protection wall at the river bank in my ward to avoid floods. As far as the drainage problem is concerned, during the last tenure, I had sent a proposal to DMA to construct a main culvert near Valpoi police quarters near market area, but unfortunately, the administrative sanction to this project by DMA was delayed. I will manage to complete this project on priority. I will also build a shed at the Ganesh Visarjan site as the steps near the river were constructed during my last tenure,” Gulelkar added.
Prominent businessman and ex-TV journalist Sarfaras Sayed, who is contesting the election from Ward 7, told 'The Goan' that he was also not satisfied with the delimitation exercise.
“Though the delimitation has been done geographically, many voters have been moved to other wards. But one advantage is that the strength of my ward has reduced, so for me the area of concentration will be easy due to less number of voters,” said Sayed.
“But the main disadvantage is that many good and co-operative people, who would have contributed the most in the development of the ward, are now shifted to other wards, which is really sad,” said Sayed.
He further said that there are a few issues affecting his ward, which he will solve after he gets elected.
“Few internal roads in Sayyadnagar still need to be built. Proper garbage management has to be addressed. Proper functioning of garbage treatment plant situated in my ward is a solution for the entire municipality. But if not managed, it will become a problem for residents of my area. I know it needs proper coordination right from the source point to disposal. My first priority will be to do needful in this matter,” he added.
“Actually, I firmly believe that garbage, if handled properly, will generate revenue. I will also be forming a ward monitoring committee through which problems/issues will be resolved,” informed Sayed.
Sitting councillor of Ward 5, Iddrus Shaikh, whose wife, Parveen, is contesting this time as the ward is reserved for women, claimed that the improper delimitation exercise resulted in many voters being shifted to Ward 6 from his ward, while some had been added from Ward 7.
“In some instances in my ward, the head of the family is shifted to one ward and the remaining members to another ward. All our villagers will raise the issue with the competent authority after the elections to rectify the mistake, which we feel, is done deliberately to get political benefits,” claimed Shaikh.
