Large numbers of tribal people of Chingudipal gram panchayat under Sukinda block of the district have threatened poll boycott over non-issuance of land patta to the locals and non-supply of drinking water in the villages.
Non- availability of drinking water, bad roads and non- issuance of land pattas have become an election issue for people of the surrounding seven villages, who have now demanded that the authorities fulfil their demands or be prepared for a poll boycott.
“The rampant pollution from some illegal stone quarries is also one of the reasons for us to boycott the poll,” said Abhi Munda of Chingudipal.
“The district administration assured us umpteen times to grant land pattas in respect of our land. But the officials have yet to fulfil our demands. Five years back, the officials dug three tube -wells in the village Natora. But three years back all the three tube -wells turned defunct for which we are depending on a nearby river and a well to collect water. This is the reason why we decided to boycott the coming rural poll,” said Sabhu Munda of village Kendupada.
“Under the Forest Rights Act , we are entitled to get pattas in respect of our land, but the officials and ruling party leaders betrayed us by not granting pattas. As a result, we vowed to boycott the poll,” said Abhiram Jaraka of village Podaghar.
The officials are hand-in- glove with illegal stone quarry mafia who have been denuding stones from the hillocks by doing air and water pollution in the villages for which voters have decided to boycott the poll, said Nandini Munda of Kendupada.