Purulia: A day before the sixth phase of polling, nearly 500 residents of Bortar and Madhupur villages have decided to boycott the Lok Sabha poll to register their protest against lack of development in their areas.
The villages located in Jhalda Block no1, Pusti Grampanchayat, are deprived of proper drinking water, water for irrigation, sanitation, primary health care, Anganwadi and roads.
The villagers claimed that on February 22, they submitted a public petition for the development of roadways but the concerned administration asked them to come after completion of ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Reacting to the alleged negligent attitude of the officials towards basic development, the villagers decided to boycott polls.
In 2001, epidemic spread across villages of Purulia's Jhalda Block no 1 claimed several lives. However, the villagers said that the situation has not changed even in 2019.
A villager from Bortar, Rajiv Mahato said, "We have nothing here. No Anganwadi, no roads, and no bridge. Even the senior citizens and widows do not get the money under schemes meant for them. We want development. If the government does not provide us with the basic facilities, then we will not cast our votes."
