The hills come alive with sham promises
During every election season, a familiar story repeats itself inside the country’s estates. Politicians descend en masse, making grandiose promises to the thousands of eligible voters living there, literally begging for their votes. Afterwards, however, such promises are lost in the wind, just like the words of the candidates.
“During elections, they come and kneel before us for our votes. When it’s over, we have to go and kneel before them, yet they still won’t come,” was how one worker at Palmerston Estate, Ratnagiri Division, contemptuously described the antics of the local politicians.
Coming under the Kotagala Pradeshiya Sabha (PS), those from this estate live under minimal conditions, largely deprived of basic requirements such as sanitation, clean water, education and a proper road for transportation.
Sinnaiya Dureisami (37), born and bred in the area, says a proper road is one of the most essential requirements inside the estate, to enable them reach the Nuwara Eliya Main Road easily. The road in use now has not been maintained for years, and the gravel washed away, making vehicular travel virtually impossible.
"The Kotagala PS is responsible for renovating the road, but they promise they will fix it only during the election period," Mr Duresami charged.
“It is extremely difficult to take pregnant women to the nearest hospital at Lindula, using this road. The damaged road rocks the vehicle, and there is the constant danger of complications, with even childbirth in the middle of the journey.”
"It is also difficult to find transport along this road in an emergency, as three-wheeler drivers are often reluctant to travel along it due to the risk of damage to their vehicles," he further pointed out.
Estate worker and mother of three, Vasantha Kumari (33), said the Montessori and the Primary school premises within the estate have remained closed for some 15 years due to lack of resources.
“The politicians say the school will be reopened after the elections, yet that promise is never kept.”
"With three-wheelers refusing transport, her 2 schoolchildren have to walk almost 2 km to attend school and return home walking another 2 km," Ms Vasantha added.
"Meanwhile, water is provided only for several minutes at a designated time every day, and those who miss the time have to walk a long distance, carrying pots and cans, to collect water from a well," she claimed.
Ms Vasantha is A/L-qualified, and had been a Montessori teacher in Bogawantalawa. But, after marriage and coming to the estate, she had been forced into plucking tea, as “there are no other jobs here.”
S. Balamurugan, who was a teacher at the now-closed primary school in the estate, said he is able to teach children up to Grade 3, but lacks resources to do so.
He explained that, due to lack of education facilities, compelled to travel far for schooling and financial constraints, many schoolchildren drop out of school midway and work on the estate.
“We would like our children to become doctors, engineers and good people, but they remain in the same social level,” he said.
Change, however, maybe on the way. A young man from the estate, along with 2 others from the neighbouring estates, are contesting for the Kotagala PS.
“As they are our own people, we think, if we elect them, perhaps they can finally bring us results, as they are aware of our issues so well,” one man told us.