PANJIM: Swollen feet, lack of food and water and a bumpy ride has not melted the heart of State government and the Goa Police.
A forced decision to make the IRBN personnel travel over 2,000 kms by road to Uttar Pradesh and back has taken a toll on the passengers — one platoon that reached the poll bound State on Saturday midnight and another which is en route to Goa.
Herald, the only daily that has been pursuing the matter even before 950 approximately personnel left for UP on February 15 has learnt that the personnel are facing problems to even relieve themselves in the open.
“Locals began chasing us when our buses stopped so that we can relieve ourselves in an open space. Such is our pitiable condition,” said one of them travelling back to Goa.
Around 400 IRBN who left for Uttar Pradesh in the early evening hours of March 1, reached their destination on March 5 midnight, after a four-day long journey.
“It was exhausting. It has been a miserable arrangement by the government at the cost of our physical and mental health,” said another explaining the ordeal of though the journey of the IRBN passengers and the KTC drivers/helpers.
While the bus drivers, unaware of the location lost their way that added to the total distance, those passengers with medical conditions had a tough time. The same situation is with the personnel, who are now on their way back to Goa to cast their vote, sources said. Around 450 personnel left from Mau District in 10 KTC buses around 4 pm on March 5, and are expected to reach Goa by March 9 afternoon. Two officers are also accompanying them in their cars.
“Some of us are tall due to which the seating space is getting even more uncomfortable. The bus condition is also not that appropriate. There is no arrangement for food and water. The ‘dhabas’ are unable to cook food for a huge lot in a short span of time and as a result some of us are starving,” said an IRBN.
“There are some with medical conditions but nobody gave a thought over it. Not only the IRBN but the KTC drivers and helpers are also worn out. They too had no time to rest,” he said.
The messy arrangement came to light following Herald reports that the majority of total platoon sent for election duty in Uttar Pradesh had not cast their vote. Their postal ballots were either lying at their respective residences or police stations while a fresh one couldn’t be issued as it would be a breach of the law and possible rigging.
“The arrangement has been pathetic since the very beginning. Neither is the government nor our department is compassionate towards us. We apprehend all this could result in aggressive votes. The Election Commission has also failed to ensure free and fair voting since the minds are now full of prejudice. Many will have the same thinking,” said another adding that the botched decision of the government has led to pessimism.
