Unsafe election office building cries for repair

KENDRAPARA:  With the polls knocking at the door, election offices across the country are witnessing hectic preparations with many being given a facelift. But not in the case of Kendrapara as the district election office itself is crying for attention. Bogged down by administrative apathy, the century-old dilapidated building is struggling to provide proper services to the people, particularly voters, who are flocking to the election office.

A large number of people visit the office everyday to enrol their names in the electoral rolls, obtain certified copies of voters’ list and other purposes. But the unsafe conditions including crumbling roof and structure along with lack of basic facilities pose an imminent danger to the visiting public.Rajanikanta Mohanty, a local, said, “I faced great difficulty in getting to the office which is located at an isolated place. On reaching the office, I found water leaking from the roof. In such conditions, the voters’ lists and other valuable documents are at a risk of getting damaged.” 

The election office located near the Collectorate does not even have a proper entrance. A staff said water leaks through the roof of the building while rusted iron rods are protruding from the ceiling.  “Portions of the roof are on the verge of crashing, the wiring is exposed and there is constant discharge of electricity from sockets. One never knows when the building will come down,” he said.

Another staff said, “We work in the decaying building under a crumbling roof by putting out lives at risk. We have apprised the district administration of the building’s condition several times but in vain.” Kendrapara Collector Dasarathi Satapathy said, “Due to lack of space in the Collectorate, the district election office is functioning from the old  building.”  He said work on a new election office building will start after funds are sanctioned by the Government for the purpose.