Officials trek for 3 hrs to reach polling booth in Buxa

MP | 7 July 2023 | Alipurduar: Three polling teams, after trekking for almost three hours, reached their polling stations situated approximately 2,600 to 3,000 feet above sea level to conduct Panchayat elections in Buxa Fort in the Kalchini Block of Alipurduar on Friday. 

Buxa is in the Rajabhatkhawa Gram Panchayat in the Kalchini Block of the Alipurduar district. Situated at a height of 2,600 feet above sea level, Buxa Hill is home to 13 small and big villages, with about 1,500 voters. 

These villages are divided into two Panchayat constituencies. Remarkably, there are no roads on this hill and travelling from one village to another takes around two hours on foot along a rugged mountain path. 

To facilitate voting, three polling stations have been set up for the 13 villages. The residents of Chunavati Village cast their votes at Chunabhati Finish Mission Primary School, while villages like Adama, Seogaon, Panbari, Lamla, and Pokhri vote at the Adma village’s Adma FVP School. Similarly, the residents of Sadar Bazar, Buxa Fort, Tashigaon, Lal Bungalow, Khataline, Lepchakha, and Octhlung vote at the polling station of Buxar Duar BFP School. 

Three polling teams, including presiding officers, polling staff, and security personnel, had to trek a minimum of three kilometres and a maximum of eight kilometres to reach their designated polling stations. 

Approximately 20 porters helped the teams reach their respective destinations by carrying the election kits. They trekked through dense forest areas, winding up and down the hilly terrain, despite the unexpected rain. Kanaklal Sinha, the first polling officer of booth Buxar Duar BFP School stated: “This is my first time trekking and climbing a hill. After trekking for one and a half hours, we reached the booth from the zero point of Santalabari. There are 781 voters at my booth, and I hope the voting process will be completed smoothly.”

Courtesy & source- Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/officials-trek-for-3-hrs-to-reach-polling-booth-in-buxa-524805