2 tribal villages in Chhattisgarh's Korba district give poll boycott call citing lack of basic amenities

The villages - Sardih and Bagdharidand - which fall in Kerakachhar village panchayat of Rampur assembly constituency are inhabited by Pahadi Korwa, a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG) also known as adopted sons of the President.

Korba (Chhattisgarh):The residents of two tribal villages in Chhattisgarh's Korba district have decided to boycott the next month's state assembly polls alleging lack of basic facilities like potable water and power supply in their area.

The villages - Sardih and Bagdharidand - which fall in Kerakachhar village panchayat of Rampur assembly constituency are inhabited by Pahadi Korwa, a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG) also known as adopted sons of the President.

The constituency, being currently held by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Nanki Ram Kanwar, will see voting in the second phase of the two-phased polls in the state on November 17. The first phase of polling will be held in the state on November 7.

Pamphlets have been put up in the villages giving calls to boycott voting, while a banner with the same message has been hung on their outskirts.

"We have been demanding drinking water facility, power supply and mobile towers and other basic amenities for a long time, but public representatives have never paid heed to us," said Santosh, a resident of Sardih, who belongs to the Pahadi Korwa community.

Pahadi Korwas of Sardih, Bagdharidand, Khurribhauna and nearby villages are still forced to drink water obtained by digging pits in the forest land, he said.

There are no roads to reach these villages, he added.

"Hollow promises will no longer work for politicians. The villagers have decided to boycott voting this time as they don't have any other option," Santosh and some women of the villages told reporters.

Around 150 families of Pahadi Korwa reside in villages of Kerakachhar village panchayat, located in a forest area, around 20 km away from Korba city.

The villages have also been struggling with the menace of elephant-human conflict.

A banner put up by the residents outside the villages reads, "Sardih and Bagdharidand boycott poll as villages have not received electricity."

When asked about it, Korba Zila Panchayat Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Vishwadeep said he has received information about it and he and other officials will visit the villages to understand the issues raised by the villagers.

"We will try to persuade the villagers to withdraw their boycott call and urge them to take part in the election process," he said.

Vishwadeep, an IAS officer, is also the nodal officer of voter awareness programme in the district.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) had said an intensive drive was carried out to enrol voters belonging to five PVTGs- Abhujmaria, Kamar, Pahadi Korwa, Birhor and Baiga in the state.