Angry over water woes, village in Umaria boycotts poll

BHOPAL: Residents in Kathotia village of Umaria district under Shahdol parliamentary constituency boycotted poll in support of their demand for irrigation water.


Despite assurance by the district administration, only 7 votes were cast in the village having more than 600 voters. The locals have been demanding they should be provided irrigation water and a canal should be built from a pond in Dindori district to provide them water, sources said.

As the demand was not met, they had decided to boycott polls, sources said. Kathotia is a small village under Manpur tehsil of Umaria district, the area is facing acute water crisis and canal work has been a long-pending demand from locals.

After call for boycott, officials rushed to the village and tried to pacify annoyed villagers. “Despite our efforts, only 7 voters excercised their voting right in the village. They were adamant on their demand for a canal,” sub-divisional magistrate Manpur Neelambar Mishra told TOI.