No potable water, wheelchairs at booths in Panchkula villages

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, May 25

The district election office was supposed to provide facilities of wheelchairs, drinking water for voters and others on the day of polling, but these were missing at a few rural areas.

The office of the DC-cum-district election officer had held meetings with sector and nodal officers to oversee availability of wheelchairs and other facilities during polling early in February. However, voters lined-up at Khatauli village rued that there was no wheelchair at the polling booth.

“Individuals who face difficulty in walking have to make their own arrangements to come in and go back on foot. We were told that a wheelchair was being provided here from the nearby community centre, but it is nowhere to be seen,” a resident at the village rued. Meanwhile, villagers could be seen setting up ‘chhabeel’ counters on their own.

When contacted, BLO Kiran said they had raised a request for providing a wheelchair at the polling station. “I am not yet aware if it has been provided,” she said.

Voters all throughout the region were affected by the scorching heat. Some residents of villages added that there was no provision of ceiling fans at the polling stations. Complaints were lodged regarding lack of a wheelchair at Raipur Rani village as well.

Wheelchairs were not available at some polling stations in the city as well. Mohan Lal Aggarwal, a voter at Sector 17, had to walk to the polling booth as another individual assisted him at Vijay Public School in Sector 17 in the city.

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