Sans basic facilities, 'poll boycott' voice gets louder in Odisha villages

Ahead of the upcoming elections, people from various parts of Odisha are reportedly fuming over unfulfilled demands and basic issues. 

The villagers of Nuagaon under Kashipur block in Rayagada are upset over the alleged administrative apathy towards the absence of irrigation and warned of poll boycott.

According to villagers, a check dam was built near the village 10 years ago, but canals have not been dug up. The facility is of no use for irrigation. Though they have taken up the issue with the administration, no step has been taken, they alleged.

Hence, they have decided to refrain from exercising their franchise this time as a mark of protests against the government.

Ramachandra Gouda, a villagers fumed, ”The government isn't listening to our problem. The Chief Minister and the sarpanch, all are not, paying heed to our irrigation issues. When elections come, leaders make us a lot of promises. After the elections, no promises are carried out.”

“We all villagers have decided to boycott all the leaders who will come to our village during the campaign,” he thundered.    

However, no reaction was received from the administration.          

Public resentment is reportedly brewing over the ‘commuting woes and government negligence’ in Nildikia and Panguli villages under Mohana block in Gajapati district. The villagers have pasted posters on walls and warned of poll boycott.  

As per reports, the two villagers lack proper road connectivity and electricity. Drinking water is also another problem. The villagers alleged, they had reminded the administration about their basic issues, but the latter are not being addressed.

So, they have decided to skip participation in the electoral exercise.

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Sukant Mallick, a youth lamented, “We have drawn the attention of the authorities at the panchayat to the district levels several times in the past towards our problem. We have no roads and electricity. No step has been taken to sort out our issues. Hence, we have pasted posters about the poll boycott. ”

He added that the people of two villages have decided to boycott the elections.   

BDO Rajib Das said, ”I will look into the problem. I will seek information from the RWSS about the drinking water. We have to look at the government provisions for hamlets