Youth and women from the Maoist-hit areas have been roped in by the administration to encourage those in the interiors to come out in large numbers
Revenue officials have been checking vehicles in and around Gadchiroli's entry points looking for cash, liquor and other prohibited items
Technology comes to the rescue of democracy in remote Gadchiroli district as the local administration has asked youth in the region to get more voters to the booth and prove it by taking selfies with them. There are cash prize incentives for young boys and girls, called poll ambassadors, who rope in the maximum number of voters.
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The seflies taken after a person casts his/her vote will be sent to the collector office and three ambassadors with the most number of selfies will be awarded cash prizes of Rs 10,000, Rs 8,000 and Rs 7,000. These ambassadors have been shortlisted and given special badges for identification.
Dr Abhay Bang, founder-director of the NGO SEARCH. Pics/Suresh KK
Tribal women in the remote Gadchiroli district have begun a movement against alcohol and tobacco-free polling this year. Dr Abhay Bang, founder-director of the Society For Education, Action and Research in Community Health (SEARCH), based in Gadchiroli, said that it is a six-year-long movement against alcohol in the district that has finally resulted in "the state government accepting our demand for the prohibition of liquor in 1993." It was a partial success though, he said, adding, "In 2016 SEARCH initiated another campaign called Muktipath to cut down on alcohol and tobacco products in the district. This is in partnership with the state government, TATA Trusts and the locals. The campaign has been very active and effective. Around 600 villages, tribal and nontribal, have completely banned alcohol in their villages so far."
Rangoli competition organised by district administration created awareness about conducting alcohol-free polls
Political party members often distribute free alcohol to buy votes, he said. "This corrupts the democratic process and disrupts the alcohol ban in the villages. Thus the campaign for an alcohol-free election," he added. A number of women have resolved to boycott the candidates that offer alcohol to their husbands. Hoardings and posters stating this have been put up across the region.
"I have received written commitments from all five candidates in the constituency saying they will abide by this. That is a victory of the democratic process. I have released an appeal to social organisations elsewhere to initiate such campaigns in their constituencies too. Collector Singh and SP Shailesh Balavade are actively supporting this campaign too," said Dr Bang.
Post cards written in four languages (Marathi, Gondi, Madavi, Bangla) have been distributed to encourage tribal voters.
On the elections, the community health expert said that despite being a tribal district, the issues of tribal development or rights are not prominently raised by the candidates. "Since 70 per cent voters are non-tribal, the tribals and their interests are neglected even here," he rued.
District all set for D-Day
The Systematic Voters Education Program (SVEEP) was conducted in the district for the polling officer as well as the tribals. Debates were also conducted in various pockets to reconfirm if the concepts were understood. NCC and Scout students have been roped in to assist polling workers, transport the EVMs machine in remote villages amidst tight security cover and provisions have been made for distribution of dry ration (kurmure, channa, laddoo etc) to officials on poll duties in remote villages.
On March 29, a rangoli competition was conducted in the district on the theme of LS 2019. A human chain of tribal women and girls was formed to promote no-alcohol and no-tobacco voting.
The district administration has also printed postcards in four languages – Marathi, Gondi, Madavi, Bangla (to encourage tribal voters) - with details of the election date, time and venue. These have been distributed among the tribals.
Security intensified
The Gadchiroli-Chimur Lok Sabha constituency that came into being in February 2008 is reserved for Scheduled Tribes, with the first election held in 2009. The constituency is currently represented by MP Ashok Nete of the BJP and will vote on April 11 this year.
The region saw a 69.95 per cent voter turnout during the 2014 and 67 per cent in 2009. The district administration is thus hoping for a good turnout this time around too. Banners put up by naxals dissuading locals from participating won't make much impact, Gadhciroli collector Shekhar Singh said.
Around 97.96 per cent of the in Gadchiroli is covered with forests and hills, and is abundant in natural resources but lacks big industries. "A paper mill in Ashti in Chmorshi Taluka and a paper pulp factory at Desaiganj are the only two small factories here," Singh added.
Also Read: Elections 2019: Urmila Matondkar, Hardik Patel to address Mumbai youth
Security forces around Gadchiroli and Gondia districts have been put on a high alert. Two BSF constables were killed on Thursday, 150 kilometers away from Gadchiroli and four others injured in an encounter with the Maoists in the Kanker district of Chhattisgarh. The incident took place when a joint team of BSF and local police were on a search operation in Pakhanjoor area of the district.
District statistics
Of the total population of 21.91 lakh in the Gadchiroli district, 7.94 lakh men and 7.73 lakh women are registered voters excluding 1,189 service voters (Army personnel from the region).
With a few hundred visually-impaired speech-impaired and other disabilities, most polling stations have been provided with ramp facilities, disabled-friendly toilets and other amenities.
Also Read: Mumbai: 77 per cent of juices, 97 per cent of ice at railway stations are contaminated
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