Chhindwara: Ahead of the upcoming Madhya Pradesh assembly elections, the state government has set up four polling booths for the tribals of Patalkot in Chhindwara district of the state settled about 3000 feet below the ground level even as bringing the voters to the polling booth remains a challenge. Because the villages are situated in hilly areas, one has to travel only with the help of footpaths on foot.
An official said that conducting voting in the area is going to be a big challenge for the administration. Villagers living in Patalkot said that earlier they had to come out of Patalkot and vote in the upper village, but a few years ago the administration has set up four polling booths for them. There is also a paved road to reach these four polling booths.
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But tribals from about 12 villages reach the four polling booths on foot to cast their votes. Most of these villages do not have roads due to which the villagers have to resort to footpaths. Most of the tribals live in fields and mountains by building houses far apart, due to which even construction of roads is a challenge for the administration.
At the time of voting, booth level officers reach their homes on foot and hand out voting slips so that more and more people can reach the polling booth to cast their vote. The four polling booths are Patalkot's Sitholi, Kaream Rated, Thanakheda and Jadmadal Harrakchar. Surrounded by dense forests on all sides, about 12 villages of Patalkot are 3000 feet below the ground level where the tribes of Bharia and Gond communities reside in the villages.
Gradually, the government has started providing facilities in Patalkot. District Election Officer Manoj Pushp has said that 332 polling stations have been set up in Amarwada Assembly including Patalkot. While the administration is trying its best to enable the polling staff to reach the polling stations, “in some rural and forest areas, voters will have to resort to unpaved roads to reach the polling booth”.
The administration team has appealed to every voter to reach the polling center and vote. For voters who are above 80 years of age or are suffering from disability or illness, voting is being conducted at their homes, Pushp said.
