No road out of boondocks, village plans election boycott

CHAMARAJANAGAR/MYSURU: The 89 voters of

Chikka Yalachetti in Chamarajanagar district

on the

Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border

have been off the radar of

elected representatives

and government officials. So it took an unusual development for politicos to rush to there: Locals threatened to

boycott the 2108 assembly elections

over the lack of a motorable road to the nondescript village.


Promised a road to their village, the locals relented and voted. But the road is yet to see light of the day and the villagers, back in protest mode, now plan to boycott the general election.

The lack of roads means the villagers have never heard of Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP), the flagship programme of the Election Commission of India to spread voter awareness activities. Getting to Chikka Yalachetti involves a very bumpy 4km ride from Bandipur — a route so rough, locals say, that it has deterred politicos from travelling there.

The village has been struggling for a proper road for two decades, says Chammamma, 58, a resident. “Asphalting was done a decade ago, but the work was left unfinished,” she says. “We have three buses from Bandipur, but they’re of no use since banks and ration shops are in Bachahalli. And most often, there’s no bus service to return.”

One can also reach the village from Gundlupet, but this route too is not motorable. “We have water and power, but not motorable roads,” says gram panchayat member Rathnamma. “We have been demanding a proper road, but forest officials have come up with an obstacle. They saying it will cut through a forested area.”

Being close to thick forest, the villagers live in constant fear. Bellaiah, 37, a shepherd, says said two of his cattle are missing and may have been killed by leopards. Elephants are also a concern.

Mahadevaswamy, the lone primary school teacher and a booth-level election officer, has encountered elephants on his way to the institution.

Most families in Chikka Yalachetti belong to the Soliga tribe. Ten families are from the Uppara community, three Madiwala households and four SC families. Residents are mostly agricultural workers and a few grow vegetables.