The 450 residents of the tiny Edakuriya village in Hanur district are finally seeing a glimmer of hope. After Express carried a report “Cut-off Edakuriyas cut-up With Netas, to Boycott Polls” on Monday, Chamarajanagar DC M V Savithri has promised the villagers to personally speak to Chief Secretary S V Ranganath and get clearance to build a bridge across the river Cauvery for them.
The villagers had decided to boycott the May 5 polls in protest, as their decades-long demand for a bridge to connect their village to mainland Karnataka had been ignored by all concerned. After visiting the village that can only be reached by boat on Tuesday, Savithri told Express that she took up the issue seriously and located the bridge project file.
The Edakuriya bridge had been cleared by former Public Works Department minister C M Udasi, at a cost of around `3.80 crore. Since then, it has been pending before the Finance Department. Savithri said: “I even spoke to NABARD officials who are ready to fund for the project immediately, if concurrence is given by the finance department.”
Savithri said she realised the gravity of the situation at Edakuriya. “When I interacted with the villagers, they said they felt insecure about the life of their children during rainy season and did not send them to school fearing risks. Their demand is genuine and they should not remain in the same status or protest during every elections for a bridge,’’ she said.
Pleased by her response, Edakuriya residents took an oath that they will vote on May 5 and removed their banner that stated their election boycott. A local, Basavaraju, said: “We have agreed to take back our boycott hoping to get our demand fulfilled soon.”