SEC to issue notification for KMC election today

Kakinada: State Election Commission (SEC) has directed Kakinada Municipal Corporation (KMC) officials to start the process for conducting elections for civic body, whose term concludes on September 13.

KMC Commissioner K Ramesh told 'The Hans India' that the SEC would issue civic body election notification on Friday. Elections will not be conducted in 42 and 48 divisions in view of pending legal cases in the court, he added.

Meanwhile, Citizens' Initiative founder Duvvuri Subrahmanyam and Kakinada Civic Welfare Association convenor Dusarlapudi Ramana Raju wrote a letter to SEC and Kakinada District Collector Kritika Shukla seeking merger of six villages into KMC.

Subrahmanyam observed that the issue of the inclusion of six villages - Turangi, Indrapalem, Vakalapudi, Valasapakala, Ramanayyapet and Cheediga - in Kakinada like was not resolved since KMC formation. Also, elections were not held in the villages for the last 12 years.

'During the tenure of TDP government, though Gazette Notification was done, merger process of the villages was not completed due to the absence of elected corporators in Kakinada and its resolution. Now, the time has come for the inclusion of these villages in municipal corporation, which is gearing up for elections.' But even today, Subrahmanyam and Ramana Ranu suspect that a conspiracy is going on to conduct civic body election without incorporating these villages in municipal corporation, because of the presence of some big industries in these villages.

Subrahmanyam said that the industrialists in the villages are blocking the villages from being merged into the corporation as the industrialists are afraid that they have to pay higher taxes if the villages are merged. It was alleged that some influential politicians are helping the industrialists in this matter for their own interests.

But, Subrahmanyam asserted that keeping aside personal interests of industrialists and politicians and keeping in mind the wishes of common villagers, elections should be held to Kakinada corporation only after the villages are merged into the municipal corporation. As the corporation's term ends on September 13, 2022, the corporation should, without any delay, pass a resolution for the merger of these villages in Kakinada corporation.

In 1866, Kakinada became a Municipality with 25,000 population. Subsequently, the population has increased to 4 to 5 lakhs, but the area has not been increased and it is almost all the same, he added.

Ramana Raju said merger of Vakalapudi village into Kakinada Corporation has potential to benefit Kakinada city and Vakalapudi as well. If Vakalapudi is included in Kakinada Corporation, Hope Island situated adjacent to the village can be developed with the funds of KMC and its income can be generated through the industries situated in Vakalapudi.

International funding can also be achieved for development of Hope Island, which can also be developed as an International tourist destination.

He noted that these villages will not face drinking water shortage if they are merged.

They requested the authorities to take steps for the merger of six nearby villages in KMC before issuing orders for elections to the Corporation.

Subrahmanyam and Ramana Raju urged the SEC and the District Collector to clear legal issues and merge the six villages in KMC.