Kerala Asssembly elections | A long trek from home to cast their vote for theses tribals in Thiruvananthapuram

Aruviyan Kani had begun his trek to the polling station from his home at Pothode, deep contained in the Agasthya forest reserve, at round 6 a.m. on Tuesday. At shut to 9 a.m., he arrived drenched in sweat on the single-teacher college in Podiyam, which serves because the polling sales space to 440 individuals dwelling in a clutch of tribal settlements in these forests.

“Hardly any road exists after this point. A few jeep services do run once in a while, but considering the condition of the roads, you might reach faster if you walk. Three years ago, we got power in our households, thanks to the total electrification programme, but the local ward members or the MLAs over the years have not taken any interest in making these roads motorable. We usually come out of the forests only twice a week for the market in Kottoor. But after the COVID-19 pandemic, even that has not been functioning regularly. My daughter, a degree student, is staying at a hostel in the city, since daily commute from here is impossible,” says Kani.

Part of life

The voters are considerably used to the long walks, that are a part of their each day lives, however for the polling officers, it may be a distinct ballgame, particularly once they have to present common updates on the polling proportion to the Election Commission.

“We haven’t any community protection right here, however want to present periodic updates. Luckily, we discovered a spot excessive up a hill close by from the place we are able to ship the knowledge. So, we head there often,” a sectoral officer tells The Puucho.

A few kilometres additional down, and nearer to the city, is the polling sales space arrange at a forest workplace in Kottoor. Many of the voters from the tribal settlements excessive up the hills rely on a KSRTC bus that arrives at 7 a.m. to entry the cubicles. However, with the bus not turning up on Tuesday, a number of the political events organized vans to transport the voters. Quite a number of of them attain the bus cease after long treks by the forests.

Call of obligation

“I come from Chonampara, which is around 7 km from here. Since both of us are employed, I and my wife started early as we have to head to work after casting our votes,” says Chandran Kani, who operates a bamboo raft for vacationers close to the elephant rehabilitation centre in Kappukadu.

Eighty-year outdated Bhagavathy, who was dropped on the polling station in one of many automobiles, reminisces concerning the occasions when she used to begin strolling round 8 a.m and reached the polling station in the afternoon. Now, issues have improved a bit. But the tempo of the change has not been in sync with the aspirations of the individuals right here, a lot of whom from the youthful era have now settled nearer to the cities for the sake of comfort.