Seemandhra polls: It’s a 22-km travel for 216 voters to cast votes

Kakinada: As many as 216 voters from Hope Island will have to travel by boat for 22 kilometres to cast their vote at Chollangi village in Tallarevu Mandal.

The authorities have not taken their difficulties into consideration while allotting a poll booth. If a polling station was arranged at Hope Island, the election would have been over in a couple of hours. Moreover, these voters have to forgo a day’s work.

According to sources, the Hope Island was formed on the Bay of Bengal, eight nautical miles from Kakinada. It is known as a natural barrier for Kakinada. There are nearly 400 people living there and 216 people are registered as voters. The residence of these Hope Island fishermen is known as Puthraiahpakalu village under Chollangi gram panchayat in Tallarevu mandal.

These fishermen eke out their living from the sea and sell their product at Kakinada once in a couple of weeks. Even if there are natural disasters, they do not leave the place.

The district administration is making plans to develop the area as a tourism spot. “If the officials arrange a booth in the area, only four polling personnel and another two or three constables are enough and the election can be completed in two hours,” said Hope Island Fishermen Welfare Association president Bhaga Raju.