Jhapa, June 16

Election campaigning has not yet touched Jhadu, Glawa and Hopana — the three villages across the Mechi River — of Mechinagar Municipality. Hence, the folks seem baffled about the civic polls slated for June 28.

The settlements have been surrounded with Indian embankment in the east while in the west there is the Mechi River.  There are 50 families residing in the locality. However, lack of bridge over the river has affected movement of people there.

People living in the settlements are unable to cross the river during monsoon. Besides, residents have also been deprived of road, electricity and communication facilities, said Narendra Yadav, a local.

The folks have decided to ask leaders visiting their settlement seeking votes to construct a bridge over the river. There are more than 100 voters in the locality. Mariyum Murmu, a local leader of the CPN-Maoist Centre, said she would take initiative for the construction of the bridge if she won in the civic polls.

Many of the voters in the settlements even do not have clear idea about how to vote as no voter education programme has been conducted in the settlements.