Plant a sapling, get health checked at select poll booths

Panaji: Around 100 model polling stations have been set up across the state to make the voting an eventful experience for the electorate.

Forty polling stations in Goa will be handled entirely by women. Another eight booths in Bicholim, two each in Mapusa and Panaji and one each in Ponda, Cortalim and Fatorda will be managed by persons with disabilities.

These will be equipped with facilities such as wheelchair and access (ramp), braille features in electronic voting machines (EVMs), volunteers and other amenities to facilitate easy accessibility for PwD voters, said chief electoral officer (CEO) Ramesh Verma.

Two youth polling stations— at Poriem in North Goa and Fatorda in South Goa —will be managed completely by new govt recruits. Three unique polling stations are being set up at the Old GMC building at Ribandar and Margao municipal library, focusing on heritage and at the govt primary school at Vanxim, Sao Mathias, centered around traditional fishing.

In addition to this, the CEO’s office has decided to offer medical check-ups at eight polling stations, which will be in urban areas where the voter turnout is low and have a high percentage of senior citizens.

The green highway initiative will also witness polling staff planting medicinal or fruit bearing saplings in the vicinity of polling stations a day prior to polling day. The electorate too at select polling stations, will be given an opportunity to plant these saplings. “After casting their vote, the voters will be provided with vehicles to go at the identified locations to plant the saplings,” Verma said, adding that the target is to plant 7,500 saplings.

A total of 1,725 polling stations have been set up across the state, with 863 in the North and 862 in the South.