KOCHI: Nestled away from the din of the city lies Ramanthuruthu, a green patch surrounded by mangroves. A team of polling officials arrived in the islet on Wednesday afternoon to set up the polling booth, a temporary shed. There is no basic amenity in the 21-acre islet and the only inhabitants are two families, and reptiles. Crossing the Vallarpadam railway line, seemingly another world opens up.
There is neither proper road nor potable water. Booth level officer Antony P G and other officials had arrived at the polling station on Wednesday afternoon. With no other shelter available, they spent the night in the shed, their only luxury being a biotoilet.
According to the electoral roll, there are 19 voters belonging to five families in Ramanthuruthu. But three families have already shifted to Vallarpadam. To begin with, the polling officials were happy as they thought the voting would be over by noon. But by 2 pm, only 13 had cast their votes. Just 200 metres away from the polling booth, K K Subramanyan was seen relaxing under the shade of a tree.
“I will cast the vote in the evening, let them wait,” he said. “I had been pleading with the officials to bring a road roller and level the road here. It is difficult to ride a two-wheeler through the road. It is even difficult to walk through the stretch after nightfall, because there will be venomous snakes everywhere.
We received streetlights just recently, after the local body polls. Politicians have been promising title deeds for decades, but nothing will happen. We have lost hope. Only my family and our neighbour Paulson are staying here. Others have moved out,” Subramanyan said. In the end, only 16 voters exercised their franchise. The polling percentage: 84.21.
While a polling booth was provided for voters in Ramanthuruthu, the residents of Thanthonnithuruthu were denied the facility. There are 260 voters in Thanthonnithuruthu but they had to depend on country boats to reach the polling station at Vaduthala.