BENGALURU: The rising mercury levels have become a cause for concern among officials drafted for election duty. For the officials have been left to fend for themselves without any basic amenities at the temporary checkposts. In most parts of the city, the officials are forced to sit inside the “sheds” made of metal sheets.
In their complaints to booth level officers (BLOs) and returning officers (RO), the officials, who reported for work on Monday, stated that it is too hot for them to sit inside the “sheds” which have no basic facilities. With no satisfactory replies, some officials have started sending messages to their higher-ups stating that they would stop working from the “sheds” if steps are not taken to provide them basic facilities.
Many such checkposts in the city are empty now. Unable to bear the heat inside the “sheds”, many officials are seen sitting on the footpaths or under commercial establishments during daytime.
“There are no toilets and vehicular pollution is very high. Tents were erected for us last time. But now, we have been forced to sit inside the sheds made of tin sheets. The summer is scorching and the heat inside the sheds is unbearable. We have informed this to the ROs. If steps are not taken to provide us facilities, we will not come for work,” said an official from Bengaluru north constituency.
Another official said, “There is no proper lighting facility at the checkposts at night. We manage with the street lights or the headlights of vehicles. We are forced to use torches and mobile phones. CCTV cameras have been installed, but they don’t work.”
An official at the SST checkpost in Bengaluru South constituency said, “It is very hot inside. We have been given only tables and chairs. There is no drinking water. We don’t even have electricity points to charge our mobile phones. Our pleas for basic facilities have gone in vain.”
Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena said it is the duty of election officers to ensure basic facilities to officials on poll duty. All facilities will be provided to the officials at the earliest, he added.