Devoid of electricity, villagers threaten poll boycott

The residents of a village in Uttar Pradesh have threatened to boycott the coming Lok Sabha polls if electricity is not provided in their area.

The residents of a village in Uttar Pradesh have threatened to boycott the coming Lok Sabha polls if electricity is not provided in their area.

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Even 13 years after being inducted into Uttar Pradesh government’s Ambedkar Village development scheme, the Dalit dominated Khanpur Madho in Muhammadpur Deomal Block has not been provided with electricity as yet.

“We will boycott the polls if electricity is not provided to us. No candidate will be allowed to enter the village,” Guljari Singh, an elderly villager said.

“Despite several requests to the Hydel department, electricity has not reached our village and we have been living in darkness,” he said.

However, when contacted, executive engineer of Hydel distribution Division, Najibabad, Rakesh Kumar denied having any knowledge whether the said village comes under the developmental scheme.

All Ambedkar villages were electrified in the state, Kumar claimed.

Ambedkar Village development scheme is a state government initiative that puts development on the fast track in select villages.

These select villages, known as Ambedkar villages, benefit from every scheme announced by the state and central governments.