WON’T TAKE BACK LS POLL BOYCOTT CALL TILL DEMANDS MET: KIMOLI AND PARTOLI VILLAGERS
MUSSOORIE: The villagers of Kimoli and Partoli villages under Kapiri Patti near Karanprayag in Chamoli district, who have announced a boycott of Lok Sabha elections, refused to budge from their decision despite the pleas from officials of the local administration.
The villagers under the banner of “Kapiri Vikas Sangharsh Samiti” have been agitating for a long period demanding development of their area, said the Samiti members.
The team from local administration led by Karanprayag tehsildar Sudha Dobhal held talks with the villagers, and activists from the Samiti in an effort to convince them not to boycott the elections on Thursday. However, the villagers demanded they will only take back their boycott call after they get assurance from the local MLA or a senior government functionary.
Secretary of Kapiri Vikas Sangharsh Samiti said Mahipal Negi: “We had submitted a memorandum to the government demanding the development of the area which has remained neglected for the past five years but when no heed was paid to our demands, the villagers have now decided unanimously to boycott the upcoming general elections if our demands are not met.”
“The villagers are adamant about meeting with the local MLA from Karnaprayag, a minister from the state government or the district magistrate of Chamoli and only after their assurance that their demands will be conceded, they will call off their boycott call,” Negi added.
The demands of the villagers include the declaration of Dhardungri-Nainisain-Bangla road as a state highway, environment clearance for the SumalathaBansoli-Gunad road, appointment of teachers in Government Atal Model Inter College Nainisan and several other developmental issues.
Karnaprayag MLA Anil Nautiyal said: “I am unaware of any such boycott call and moreover the road work for Kimoli village has been approved while the environmental survey is currently going on for the road construction to Partoli.”