CUTTACK: Around 5,000 slum dwellers, evicted and relocated for development works in the city, are in a fix as their voter id cards still have their old addresses.
In the last two years, several slums in the city were demolished for carrying out different projects and the evicted dwellers were rehabilitated at places which are under other constituencies.
For example, Sagadia Sahi Harijan Basti, Pilgrim Road Das Sahi, Hunkeswar slum, Ring Road slum adjacent to BOSE campus and others which were under Choudwar-Cuttack Assembly segment were demolished and the evicted dwellers relocated at Nuapada Bali Sahi under Cuttack Sadar Assembly segment.
Similarly, residents of Adivasi Sahi at Gadagadia Patha under Barabati-Cuttack Assembly segment have been evicted and relocated at Nuapada Bali Sahi. Recently, the administration demolished Berhampuria slum near Barabati Fort along with a slum near Tulasipur and several at Petanal under Barabati-Cuttack Assembly segment and rehabilitated the dwellers at Naranpur housing complex under Banki segment.
“The address in our voter id cards has not been updated. If we cast our vote in the Assembly segments where we resided earlier, how can an MLA from our constituency solve our problems,” wondered Hira Murmu (55).
One of the rehabilitated dwellers, Benudhar Naik said candidates will hire vehicles to take them to booths and give them money or gifts to vote for them. “But how will it benefit us. Once elected, the representatives will become indifferent towards our plight,” he said.
Akhila Odisha Jhopadi Patti Mahasangha president Brundaban Das Azad has written to district election officer and collector and submitted a copy to the chief electoral officer seeking correction in voters’ list by setting up camps. “Our voters’ list could not be corrected due to absence of necessary documents. If steps are not taken for correction of our voter list, we shall move the Orissa High Court,” stated Azad in his letter. Collector Vineet Bhardwaj could not be reached for his comments.