SHILLONG, AUG 29: Over 800 voters of a remote village in East Jaintia Hills District have unanimously decided to boycott the 2018 state elections on ground “no road no vote” as a mark of protest against the apathy attitude of the state government towards the region.
The decision was taken at a meeting convened by the dorbar executive committee of Huroi, a village located along the international Indo-Bangla border, held recently to discuss on the problems faced by the people despite representations submitted on many occasions.
A memorandum on this regard was also submitted to the deputy commissioner of East Jaintia Hills District, who is also the district election officer on August 28.
In a statement issued here on Tuesday, village secretary Poly Pohlong said, “Our village which is having more than 800 voters has decided to boycott the forthcoming elections unless our three demands are fulfilled.”
“We will end this trend with no road no vote,” he said while lambasted the government, MP, MLA and MDC for neglecting the village and also for betraying the people by not fulfilling what was promised during election times.
He said that the people are being used just for the purpose of election and all MLA, MDC and MP disappear after the election leaving us in the bane of underdevelopment.
“The villagers and the village elders are tired of this attitude of the government towards we the rural population,” Pohlong said.
The three demands include – immediate repairing of the Sonapur-Borkhat road by the PWD (roads), to get approval from NEC and start construction of the Rymbai-Borkhat-Jalapur road project within this year and upgradation of Huroi sub-centre to a Primary Health Centre.
At present the nearest PHC is in Umkiang village which is 60 kms away from Huroi village.
Pohlong said that the PWD has submitted a proposal for construction of the Rymbai-Borkhat-Jalalpur road at an estimated cost of Rs 94 crore to the North Eastern Council (NEC) way back in 2011, but the state government did not take any steps to make this project take off.
“Till date the NEC did not give approval because the State government did not fulfill the documents required. The PWD has assured us that work start soon but yet there has been no work no survey conducted till now,” he said.
For repairing of the road, he said there was also a proposal from the PWD, Khliehriat at an estimated cost of Rs. 64 crore in 2016 but the state government did not approve the proposal adding time and again the problems have been highlighted but the government still turned a blind eye to the needs of the people.
He said that the government should conduct the election during the rainy season then only they might understand the problem faced by the people of the region.
According to him, letters and directions have come many times from the Central government and also the NHRC to address our grievances but the government is still deaf and dumb and has given only fake promises.
He informed that they have also submitted the letter to the Prime Minister Office (PMO), Election Commission of India (ECI), state election commission, Meghalaya High Court, chief secretary for necessary interventions into the matter.
Meanwhile, the village secretary said that they will only withdraw their decision if the state government adheres to the three demands.
He said the other village Lailong, Hingaria and Lejri are yet to decide on this issue but it is hope that they will also do the same as these villages share the same concern and the same problem.
By Our Reporter
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