MAPUSA: Yeliz Fernandes, a senior citizen who arrived to cast her vote at a polling booth in the same Government Primary School where she worked for 42 years, was compelled to struggle and walk up to the EVM as was there was no wheelchair available at the polling booth in Podwal-Corjuem, Aldona constituency, on Tuesday.
The elderly teacher faces difficulty walking as she suffers from spondylosis and several other ailments. Despite pleas made by the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) present at the polling booth, the authorities did not address her concern until noon.
Fernandes, who was a teacher in the same Government Primary School in Podwal for over four decades before retiring, is also a registered
voter at the same polling booth. Fernandes also served as a polling officer at the booth for the 2009 Lok Sabha election.
With the help of the police personnel stationed at the entrance and a villager, she was assisted to walk up to the voting section and return.
“Since there was no wheelchair available, we had to bring our own. Similarly, another woman also brought her own wheelchair. She faced difficulty walking as she suffers from various ailments such as diabetes, hypertension, spondylosis, and so on,” said a concerned voter from the neighbourhood.
Several senior citizens were disappointed upon learning that there was no wheelchair at the polling booth, even as the Election Commission of Goa, in all their promotional material and advertisements had assured that all polling booths will be disabled-friendly, with ramps and wheelchairs.
