DHARMAPURI: As many as 700 voters have to depend on donkey's support. If not they would not be able to cast their votes to exercise their democratic rights in every election in this backward district.
On Wednesday, four donkeys having the names of Tamil film stars - Rajani, Kamal, Ajith and Vijay, transported the EVM machines on their backs to the uphill Kottur village in Pennagaram assembly segment of Dharmapuri parliament constituency.
The donkeys have been pressed into service by the Election commission of India because the village has no motorable road.
C. Chinnasamy, a washer-man of Karagur village, who owns the donkeys, guided the officials through the four-hour trek to reach Kottur on Wednesday evening.
"I have been transporting election materials since 1970 and every time that was possible only because of my donkeys. If not people could not cast their votes," Chinnasamy said.
He added, "the election commission agreed to pay Rs.2, 000 for each animal for a single day starting from today (Wednesday) evening till the next day. Our job gets over after the EVMs are transported back from Kottur to the nearest road point. Then it reaches the counting center in government vehicles."
55-years-old P. Muniaammal, a voter in Kottur village said, "We have been voting in every single election with a demand to give us road. It has not happen till date. Our villagers are getting ready to cast their votes with big hope that the candidates contesting this election will fulfill our decent demand."
In yet another village in Krishnagiri, the EVM machines and other election materials were transported as head load by the government staffs to uphill Ekkalnatham village in this district.
The villagers having similar demand like Kottur people, issued poll boycott for not providing them road facility.
"We issued poll boycott because our demands has not entered the deaf ears of the officials. It was recalled after the officials promised to take up the road works after the elections," 40-year-old A. Anandan told DC.
He added, "our village has 1,500 strong population and 700 among them are voters. We were forced daily to trek a rugged path for four kilometers due to lack of road facility."
According to 22-year-old C. Kanaga, few cases of post-maternal deaths have been recorded in this village when the pregnant woman was carried in the cradle to the nearest hospital.
Kanaga, one such patient, gave birth to a male baby midway to the hospital, when the villagers were carrying her in a cradle after the woman had developed labour pain, a few years ago, it may be recalled.
