Forget polls, they line up to collect water

It was polling day and there was a long queue. Not outside the polling station but at the only standpost in Lakhapar village which falls und...

It was polling day and there was a long queue. Not outside the polling station but at the only standpost in Lakhapar village which falls under Rajkot Rural constituency. Here, Maluben Dhadvi and many others were busy collecting water.

Not sure about the next supply, Maluben wanted to fill at least 10 buckets before the taps ran dry again. What about polling? ‘‘We have received water after four days. More than casting my vote, I am interested in fetching water for my family,’’ she said. ‘‘I am not going to vote. Whom to vote for? Is anyone out there interested in solving our water problem?’’

In drought-affected Lakhapar village, some 20 km from Rajkot, it’s not difficult to find disillusioned voters like Maluben. The result: in the first four hours of the day, poll officials recorded a 5 pc turnout.

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‘‘Whether it’s Vajpayee or Sonia, can any one give us water,’’ Karsanbhai Kamji wanted to know. Others in his village too were sceptical of the promises made by candidates.

The villagers have been grappling with a water shortage for long now. The village, dominated by Kolis and Patels, has three hand pumps but neither of these are working. Borewell supply is irregular.

‘‘In the past week, supply was regular because the election was near,’’ said Kantiben Koli. She is very sure that from next week, the women will again have to trudge three km to the temple of Rangunmata for water. ‘‘The parties have promised many things but I know they do not believe in keeping their words.”

‘‘The BJP talked about Narmade Sarvade but where is the Narmada supply? We are still drinking borewell water. And the Congress is no better,’’ said Dinesh Joshi, another villager.