Panaji: Voters reacted positively to Goa Election Commission’s initiative of providing refreshing drinks to all voters to cast their votes. However there were complaints from many of not receiving anything as they were not informed of the free drink offer, while in most of the polling stations the stock of drinks got over early.
There was a delay in supplying cold drinks at polling stations in Bardez leaving voters disappointed. Polling officers had to face heat as voters kept questioning them about the facility. Refreshment was made available only by 11 am by which time over 150 voters had already cast their vote and left.
Voters, especially in Panaji and Taleigao, were left disappointed over the state of affairs at their booths with many questioning as to what happened to provisions that were supposed to be made for the entire polling day.
Instead of much publicised lemon water, many were handed warm soft drinks and, adding to their misery, air coolers were found blowing room-temperature air.
At polling booths like the model station in Camrabhat and the green booth at Dr T B Cunha Higher Secondary School in Campal, supplies of soft drinks ran dry within just three hours after distribution began. The Goa University ‘green booth’ also exhausted its refreshment stocks by 12.45 pm.
“I waited over half an hour in the queue with my kid, only to find they had run out of cold drinks by the time I got to the front,” said voter Rajesh. “With no AC or even a cooler blowing cool air, it was like an oven inside that cramped the polling area.”
Voters at Government Primary School Amona, polling booth were pleasantly surprised to receive free kokum juice in the hot weather. Polling officials in the green booth got large jars of kokum juice which was freely served to all.
On the other hand, in Pedne and St. Estevem polling stations, the refreshing drinks had not arrived by 11 am. Voter Anjali Aguiar from Parulekar Higher Secondary School, Verem, said that she did not receive any drink.
In the two PwD polling booths at Goa College of Pharmacy, Panaji, the free soft drink of Maaza got over quickly. The two booths with a total 1,712 voters was provided with 400 tetra packs. The Pharmacy College booth in Panaji also had no fans.
Voters in Saligao were seen refusing the Limca bottle since it was warm. For the first time, the office of the CEO arranged for refreshing drinks to be served to voters who cast their vote between 9 am to 4 pm, due to the summer heat.
The timing was later changed to 11am – 4 pm, while in some polling stations, officials said that free drinks will be served 12 noon onwards.